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SB 20MONTANASession 2025State Billpassed chamber

Passed

Montana bill bars retired judges from presiding over state law constitutionality cases

Original title: Prohibit retired judges from hearing constitutional cases

Last action · May 23, 2025: (H) Died in CommitteeSponsor: Jason Ellsworth

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Would Do

Senate Bill 20 prohibits retired judges and justices from serving or assisting in any court case where a party challenges the constitutionality of a state statute, taking effect immediately upon passage and approval.

Why it matters

The measure alters how the state assigns judicial caseloads by removing retired judges from a specific category of litigation, directly affecting court scheduling and judicial availability for constitutional challenges.

Background

Senate Bill 20 was introduced during the 69th Montana Legislative Session at the request of the Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

retired judges and justices

They become ineligible to serve or assist in court cases that involve challenges to the constitutionality of a state statute.

Directly affected

district courts and water courts

They experience restrictions on the pool of available retired judicial personnel who can be called to help manage caseloads involving constitutional claims.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is affected by this restriction?

Retired judges and justices who are otherwise subject to being called for duty by the chief justice are affected, as they cannot be assigned to cases challenging the constitutionality of a state statute.

When does this change take effect?

The act takes effect upon passage and approval.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

28 actions

May 23, 2025HouseCommittee
(H) Died in Committee
Apr 17, 2025HouseCommittee
(H) Tabled in Committee
Apr 7, 2025House
(H) Hearing Canceled
Apr 7, 2025House
(H) Hearing
Mar 17, 2025House
(H) Hearing
Feb 17, 2025House
(H) 1st Reading

Show 22 earlier actions

Feb 17, 2025HouseCommittee
(H) Referred to Committee
Feb 17, 2025Senate
(S) Transmitted to House
Feb 15, 2025Senate
(S) 3rd Reading
Feb 15, 2025Senate
(S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
Feb 14, 2025Senate
(S) 2nd Reading
Feb 14, 2025Senate
(S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
Jan 24, 2025SenateCommittee
(S) Committee Report
Jan 24, 2025SenateCommittee
(S) Committee Executive Action
Jan 15, 2025Senate
(S) Hearing
Jan 11, 2025Senate
(S) Hearing Canceled
Jan 7, 2025SenateCommittee
(S) Referred to Committee
Jan 6, 2025Senate
(S) 1st Reading
Jan 3, 2025Senate
(S) Hearing
Dec 6, 2024SenateIntroduced
(S) Introduced
Dec 6, 2024House
(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
Dec 4, 2024House
(LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
Dec 4, 2024House
(LC) Draft in Assembly
Dec 2, 2024House
(LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
Nov 26, 2024House
(LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
Nov 25, 2024House
(LC) Draft in Edit
Nov 22, 2024House
(LC) Draft in Legal Review
Oct 24, 2024House
(LC) Drafter Assigned

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Restriction on Retired Judicial Assignments

The legislation carves out a specific subject-matter exception preventing retired judges from participating in constitutional challenges to state statutes.

Jason Ellsworth Senate Select Committee On Judicial Oversight And Reform

Connected Entities

Jason Ellsworth, Senate Select Committee On Judicial Oversight And Reform

PersonJason Ellsworth“Introduced Senate Bill 20 as a Republican senator representing District 43.”Map →

OrganizationSenate Select Committee On Judicial Oversight And Reform“Requested the introduction of Senate Bill 20.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

bills.legmt.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance45
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy60
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz25
Current news / social attention level

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