SB 21 Montana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Allowing legislative and executive leadership to vacate a writ of mandamus

SB 21 would allow Montana's legislative leaders (Senate President or House Speaker) and executive leaders (Governor or Attorney General) to jointly file a request to vacate a court-issued writ of mandamus targeting specific elected officials. The bill applies only to officials listed in Montana's Constitution (e.g., legislators, the legislature, or other constitutional officers) and requires this joint filing within 10 business days of the court order. If filed, the writ would be voided and the official could not face contempt charges for noncompliance. This bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, and never became law.
Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2024
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Failed
Mar 2025
Governor
Introduced Dec 18, 2024 Last action May 23, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB0021 Legal Review Note.pdf SB0021_1(2).pdf · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was converted from a draft document with legal review notes into a formal legislative act. The substantive policy content remains the same, allowing Senate or House leadership to vacate certain writs of mandamus by signing a joint pleading with the Governor or Attorney General, but the formatting was updated to meet official printing standards.
Scope change
The scope of the bill's effect did not change; only the document format changed from a draft review to a final enacted version.
TECHNICAL

Removed internal draft headers, legal reviewer names, and constitutional analysis notes.

Replaced the draft bill text with the official 'Be It Enacted' language and statutory amendment format.

Added page headers and footers indicating this is an authorized print version of the bill.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 1, 2025 · House Mar 28, 2025

How they voted

2921
Passed
Total votes 50
Mar 1, 2025
D Democratic18
18 Nay
100% Nay
R Republican32
29 Yea 3 Nay
90% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
32
Key actions
5
Committee
6
Mar 28, 2025
Vote failed
House Vote: fail (40-60)
house
Mar 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Judiciary
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Judiciary
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Judiciary
lower
Mar 1, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (29-21)
senate
Feb 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Judiciary
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Judiciary
upper
Jan 7, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Judiciary
upper
Dec 18, 2024
Introduced
(S) Introduced
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Barry Usher
Barry Usher
RRepublican
MT
19