Montana lawmakers can now decide if their communication with lobbyists and outside groups is available to the public. That’s due to a court order from a Lewis and Clark County judge.
Montana district judge Christopher Abbott this summer ruled that lawmakers' communications with private individuals were privileged, and therefore not subject to the public’s right to know.
That information was previously kept in public record as part of “junque files”. Those are folders documenting communications between lawmakers and other parties while drafting bills.
Legislator’s staff attorneys say individual lawmakers can sign waivers giving up their privilege and make those communications public, but Abbott’s ruling means they’re not obligated to.
Abbott ordered that copies of bill drafts and lawmakers’ communications with other government officials remain public.
The order came in an ongoing lawsuit over the 2023 Legislature’s redrawing of maps for seats on the Public Service Commission.
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Most Montana homeowners this year are paying less in taxes than last year, according to the state. That’s due to phase one of a new property tax system. -
Stafman served in the Legislature for three terms, representing the Bozeman area since 2020. Prior to his resignation, he sat on the Law and Justice Interim Committee. -
A new legislative committee met Monday to start digging into questions about free speech on college campuses. -
Water service is now fully restored at the Montana State Prison, but much work remains to bring the facility up to date. A new legislative committee charged with investigating allegations of censorship and civil rights violations on Montana college campuses will meet Monday; The first pre-release center in northwest Montana opened this week; Public comment period on proposed hunting regulations opens. -
Lawmakers are studying whether ambulance services should be taxpayer funded. Emergency medical services agencies told legislators that without funding support, many ambulance services won’t survive.
