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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

GOP lawmakers advance bills seeking more oversight over the judiciary

Montana GOP lawmakers are prioritizing bills that would give them more oversight of the judicial branch. More than half a dozen advanced on Friday.

Majorities in both the state House of Representatives and Senate voted to send several bills forward that they say will inject transparency and accountability into the judiciary.

Democrats and court advocates say the proposals overreach the separation of powers.

Most of the bills passed key votes along party lines. That includes one that would require judges to find substitutes for cases that present conflicts of interest – codifying what’s already in practice. Another would rehome the Judicial Standards Commission, which handles complaints against judges, under the state Department of Justice. Lawmakers also advanced a proposal to allow nonpartisan judicial candidates to seek political endorsements.

Two bills failed to advance on tie votes with some Republicans joining Democrats against them. The proposals would have defined terms related to judicial conduct and regulated how state Supreme Court justices review constitutional cases. The House voted to reconsider the latter at another time.

Shaylee covers state government and politics for Montana Public Radio. Please share tips, questions and concerns at 406-539-1677 or shaylee.ragar@mso.umt.edu.  
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