Sen. Tom McGillvray

Maddy summarySB 52 proposed creating Montana's Court of Chancery to handle specialized cases in business law, land use, and constitutional disputes. It would have jurisdiction over matters like contract breaches, business restructurings, land permits (excluding local zoning), and cases exceeding $80,000 in monetary value. Key provisions included a 150-day case resolution target, mandatory arbitration/mediation options, and three specialized judges appointed by the governor. The bill was withdrawn and died in process (2025) and never became law, so it did not affect any current legal procedures.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 1 adopts the official rules governing the Montana Senate's internal operations. It establishes the structure and duties of key Senate leadership roles, including the President, President pro tempore, majority and minority leaders, and whips, as well as defining responsibilities for staff like the Secretary of the Senate and Sergeant-at-Arms. This procedural resolution directly affects how the Senate organizes its sessions, manages committee assignments, and maintains order during legislative proceedings.

Maddy summarySB 385 would create a new Montana Government Claims Court to handle specific legal challenges against state actions. The court would directly affect citizens, organizations, or local governments filing lawsuits claiming state laws, rules, permits, or ballot measures are unconstitutional or illegal (excluding local zoning disputes), as well as asbestos-related claims. Key provisions include establishing a 3-judge court appointed by the governor (with legal qualifications), setting its jurisdiction to cover these specific claims, and defining procedures for hearings and appeals. The bill died in committee in May 2025 and has not become law.

Maddy summarySB 307 redirects Montana's marijuana tax revenue to fund prevention programs, law enforcement, and local grants. It creates a new marijuana prevention account to support primary substance misuse prevention and youth suicide prevention programs through community-based services. The bill establishes a marijuana tax revenue accountability council to advise on fund allocation and requires annual impact reports on public health metrics like youth access and hospitalizations. These funds, previously distributed differently, will now specifically target prevention services and law enforcement operations under new reporting rules.

Maddy summaryMontana's SB 120 establishes rules for selecting, overseeing, and recalling state delegates to a potential Article V constitutional convention. It requires commissioners to meet specific qualifications (e.g., 10 years U.S. citizenship, 5 years Montana residency, no recent federal roles) and prohibits them from supporting changes to the "one state, one vote" rule or amending key constitutional protections like the Bill of Rights. The bill mandates a legislative resolution defining commissioners' limited authority (based on Montana's application or prior state applications) and creates an advisory committee to manage vacancies and enforce boundaries. The bill died in committee in May 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJ 39) is a request for the Montana Legislature to study whether creating specialty courts for constitutional claims and cases involving state government would improve judicial efficiency. It directs a committee to examine current court caseloads, review models from other states, and analyze the feasibility, structure, and potential benefits of such courts. The study must be completed by September 2026 and reported to the next legislature, but it does not create any new courts or change existing law. The focus is on assessing how specialty courts might reduce burdens on district courts handling family law, youth care, and criminal cases.

Maddy summarySB 15 (Montana Senate Bill 15) would amend Montana law to expand the grounds for impeaching state officials. It adds "misdemeanors" and "malfeasance in corruption" to the existing list of impeachable offenses, which previously covered only felonies and some other misconduct like negligence or willful neglect. This change directly affects Montana's governor, executive officers, department heads, and judicial officers, making specific misdemeanors and corruption-related actions grounds for impeachment. The bill did not pass, failing its third reading in the House on March 28, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 45 establishes the Montana Judicial Performance Evaluation System to provide citizens with information about the performance of district court judges and Supreme Court justices. The bill creates an 11-member Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, administratively attached to the Department of Justice, to oversee this system. The Commission is responsible for conducting evaluations of judges and justices and contracting for a survey to gather data. This evaluation information will be published by the Secretary of State in the voter information pamphlet, making it accessible to the public.

Maddy summarySB 30 revises laws concerning judicial conflicts of interest and recusal for judicial officers in legal proceedings. The bill specifies that the legal doctrine of the rule of necessity cannot be used by a judicial officer to avoid recusal due to a conflict of interest if other judicial officers with less significant conflicts are available to serve as substitutes. This change aims to ensure that cases are heard by judges with minimal potential conflicts, building upon existing rules for recusal based on campaign contributions.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution (SJ 1) adopts new joint rules for Montana's legislature, primarily establishing procedures for remote participation by lawmakers. It allows members to participate remotely via phone or video (with caucus leader approval) and vote on all matters, including committee actions, while being counted as "present" for quorum and bill passage under Montana's Constitution. Remote participants must use electronic authentication for voting and receive the same compensation as in-person members. The rules directly affect all Montana senators and representatives during legislative sessions. The resolution does not change policy but updates procedural rules for how the legislature operates.