SB 11: Revise local government ballot issue laws - Montana

SB0011_3(49).pdf → SB0011_X.pdf · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reorganized and simplified to streamline the process for local governments to place ballot issues on the ballot. It clarifies definitions, sets specific requirements for petition content, and establishes a clear timeline for attorney review and sample petition approval. The changes aim to reduce confusion and ensure consistent application of election procedures across Montana localities.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on revising local government ballot issue procedures, but the text was consolidated to remove redundant sections and clarify the relationship between the act and existing statutes.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'local government' was retained, but the structure of the definitions section was simplified to improve clarity.

REQUIREMENT

Requirements for petitions were updated to mandate that they embrace a single comprehensive subject and include specific transition provisions if the measure alters terms of office or forms of government.

The petition signature threshold was clarified to require 15% of qualified electors based on the preceding general election registration.

Procedures for sample petitions were standardized, requiring submission to the county election administrator for designation and review by the local government attorney within 21 days.

New requirements mandate that the local government attorney prepare a concise, impartial statement of purpose and implication (max 135 words) and a yes/no statement to be used on the ballot.

TECHNICAL

Formatting and numbering were updated to align with standard legislative formatting, and redundant text was removed to improve readability.

SB0011_3(18).pdf → SB0011_3(19).pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill underwent minor formatting updates, primarily changing the bill number style from 'SB0011.3' to 'SB 11.3' and adding separator lines to the header. These changes are technical and do not alter the bill's substantive policy, scope, or legal requirements.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill number format in the header from 'SB0011.3' to 'SB 11.3'.

Inserted asterisk separator lines ('****') between the header and the main text on the first page.

Removed the 'Authorized Print Version' label from the page headers.

SB0011_1(7).pdf → SB0011_3(9).pdf · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill text was updated to reflect a version number change (SB 11.1 to SB0011.3) and a significant reorganization of the petition process. The most substantive change involves replacing the old, numbered subsections with a new, lettered structure that explicitly defines how ballot issues are designated and numbered. Additionally, the requirements for the attorney's statement of purpose were expanded to include a mandatory 'implication' statement, ensuring voters receive a clearer explanation of the vote's consequences.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability remains focused on local government petition procedures, but the specific procedural rules for ballot design and attorney statements have been expanded and restructured.

REQUIREMENT

Reorganized the petition procedure sections from a numbered list to a lettered list (A, B, C) to improve clarity and group related tasks like ballot designation and petition numbering.

Added a mandatory requirement for the county election administrator to designate a ballot issue and assign a serial number to petitions before they are circulated.

Expanded the attorney's required statement to include a specific 'implication' section, ensuring voters are informed of the consequences of both voting for and against the measure.

Added a new requirement for the attorney to prepare a 'YES AND NO statement' that explicitly defines what a positive vote means (support) and what a negative vote means (opposition).

SB0011_3(8).pdf → SB0011_1(7).pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from SB 11.3 to SB 11.1 and updated to reflect the 2025 legislative session. Substantively, the petition process for local government elections was streamlined by removing a requirement for the election administrator to designate a ballot issue number before the petition is circulated. The role of the local government attorney was expanded to include reviewing petition forms and preparing official statements of purpose and implications for voters.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on local government election procedures, but the specific steps for initiating a petition have been simplified and the responsibilities shifted from election administrators to local government attorneys.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement for the county election administrator to designate a ballot issue number and assign a serial number to petitions before they are circulated for signatures.

Transferred the responsibility for reviewing petition forms and preparing voter statements of purpose and implications from the election administrator to the local government attorney.

TECHNICAL

Updated bill identifiers from SB 11.3 to SB 11.1 and adjusted section numbering to reflect the new structure.

SB0011_3(3).pdf → SB0011_3(4).pdf · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted to align the 'AGAINST' option with the 'FOR' option, removing an empty line that created inconsistent spacing. This is a technical formatting change that does not alter the bill's legal meaning, scope, or policy requirements.

TECHNICAL

Removed an empty line between the 'FOR' and 'AGAINST' options to ensure consistent formatting.

SB0011_2(17).pdf → SB0011_3.pdf · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from SB0011.2 to SB0011.3 and updated its list of repealed statutes. The core procedural requirements for local government petitions were significantly reorganized and expanded. The new version mandates that election administrators designate ballot issues and serially number all approved petitions to distinguish between different types of measures. Additionally, the attorney's role was expanded to include preparing specific 'Yes and No' implication statements alongside the statement of purpose, ensuring clearer voter information on the ballot.

Scope change

The bill's scope of repealed statutes was modified to include new sections (e.g., 13-1-201) and remove others (e.g., 7-5-132), while the scope of petition procedures was broadened to include specific administrative numbering and designation requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the election administrator to designate a ballot issue number and serially number all approved petitions to distinguish between different types of measures.

Expanded the local government attorney's duties to prepare specific 'Yes and No' implication statements that clearly define support and opposition to the ballot issue.

Reorganized the petition procedure sections to separate the sample petition approval process from the statement preparation requirements for clarity.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill number from SB0011.2 to SB0011.3 and revised the list of repealed MCA sections to reflect new legislative changes.

SB0011_1(6).pdf → SB0011_2(9).pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill underwent minor formatting updates, including a change in the bill number format and the removal of the primary sponsor's name. A substantive addition requires that if signature lines appear on both sides of a petition sheet, the identifying information (ordinance number or title) must also be printed on both sides to ensure clarity and completeness.

Scope change

No change in the bill's scope or applicability; the addition is a procedural requirement for petition formatting.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that petition sheets with signature lines on both sides must display the ordinance number or title on both the front and back.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill number format from 'SB 11' to 'SB0011' and adjusted the legislature session header.

Removed the designation '(Primary Sponsor)' next to the bill introducer's name.

SB0011_2(8).pdf → SB0011_1(6).pdf · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill's formatting and versioning were updated to reflect the 69th Legislature (2025) with a new bill number (SB 11.1) and sponsor designation. A specific requirement for petition sheets was removed, eliminating the mandate that signature information must appear on both the front and back of the sheet if lines exist on both sides.

REQUIREMENT

Eliminated the requirement that petition signature sheets must display ordinance numbers or titles on both the front and back if signature lines are present on both sides.

TECHNICAL

Updated bill metadata including the version number (from SB0011.2 to SB 11.1), added a primary sponsor designation, and adjusted page headers.

SB0011_2(4).pdf → SB0011_2(5).pdf · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill adds a requirement that signature lines on petitions must appear on both the front and back of a sheet if the petition spans multiple sides. This change ensures that all necessary information is clearly visible regardless of how the document is oriented, improving clarity and consistency in the petition process.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability to petition formatting has been expanded to cover multi-sided sheets.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement that if signature lines are printed on both the front and back of a petition sheet, the required identifying information (ordinance number or petition title) must appear on both sides.

SB0011_1(5).pdf → SB0011_2.pdf · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill underwent a technical update primarily involving the reformatting of the header and page numbering to align with official legislative standards. The text was adjusted to clearly distinguish the session year from the legislature number and updated the bill identifier from 'SB 11' to 'SB0011.2' to reflect its current version status.

TECHNICAL

The header was restructured to place the year '2025' before the '69th Legislature' text, and the bill number was updated to 'SB0011.2' to indicate the second version of the bill.

LC0230.pdf → SB0011_1.pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from LC 0230 to SB 11 and reorganized to include a formal sponsor and committee request. The substantive policy content regarding petition requirements and ballot procedures remains largely the same, though the text was restructured and some bracketed placeholders were filled with specific section references.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on revising local government ballot issues, but the document now explicitly identifies the State Administration and Veterans' Affairs Interim Committee as the requester and F. Mandeville as the sponsor.

TECHNICAL

The bill number changed from LC 0230 to SB 11, and the header now includes the primary sponsor and the requesting committee.

The bill text was restructured and renumbered, replacing bracketed placeholders like '[sections 1 through 13]' with specific references to the bill's own sections.

Page headers were updated to reflect the new bill number and authorized print version status.

Revise local government ballot issue laws

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