Legislature vs. Courts

The Montana Department of Justice opened an investigation into a Hamilton senator Wednesday. The Division of Criminal Investigation will gather facts to determine whether Republican Sen. Jason Ellsworth is guilty of criminal misconduct.

Montana’s new chief justice of the state Supreme Court gave lawmakers a “state of the judiciary” address Monday. The Republican-backed justice cautioned GOP lawmakers against impeding the courts.

A landmark Montana Supreme Court decision last year struck down laws passed by Republicans that would have changed Montana's bedrock environmental policy. Now, GOP lawmakers have introduced a suite of bills to undo the court's ruling.

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

Sen. Jason Ellsworth of Hamilton attempted to give an associate a $170,000 contract without going through a formal bidding process. That’s prompted the new Senate President to open an investigation into Ellsworth’s conduct.

A state senator in Dec. unilaterally gave a $170,000 public contract to a longtime colleague.

Gender identity and anti-trans legislation are a repeat focus this session. Lawmakers begin work on property tax changes. The governor is quiet about Medicaid expansion. Sen. Sheehy wants to know how many pushups the Secretary of Defense nominee can do.

Montana lawmakers heard more than a dozen bills last week aimed at regulating the state’s courts and judges. They included one of the top priorities for Republicans: to make judicial elections partisan.

The first week of the 2025 Legislature gets off to a contentious start. Gov. Gianforte invites Elon Musk to Montana. Legislative leaders plan to revive efforts to change the judiciary. Newly sworn-in Senator Tim Sheehy is wasting no time making a splash. Retiring Congressman Matt Rosendale makes a quiet exit.

On day two of the legislative session, Republican lawmakers called for an apology from the State Bar president for comments made by an attorney who spoke at a legal training put on by the organization. Republicans are prioritizing bills to regulate the judiciary amid ongoing tension between the branches of government.