Criminal Justice

died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 569: Revise laws related to perjury and false swearing

HB 569 sought to revise laws related to perjury and false swearing. The bill proposed changes to the penalties for these offenses, introducing mandatory minimum jail sentences and adjusting maximum terms and fines. For perjury, the punishment would shift from state prison to county jail, while still requiring a minimum 6-month term. For false swearing, new mandatory minimums for jail time and revised fines were introduced. Additionally, the bill mandated that credible allegations of both perjury and false swearing be investigated by an agency independent of the judiciary.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIntroduces mandatory minimum jail sentences for perjury/false swearing, increasing punitive measures rather than advancing reform or protections.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 912: Generally revise behavioral health laws to create a secure forensic facility

HB 912 proposes creating a new secure forensic facility in Montana, overseen by the Department of Public Health and Human Services. This facility would provide care, treatment, and security for up to 70 individuals involved in the legal system due to mental illness, including those needing competency restoration or forensic evaluations. The bill allocates $60 million from the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Fund to plan, construct, and equip this facility, while also expanding the fund's uses to support new behavioral health infrastructure.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates secure forensic facility for mental health treatment in legal system, advancing rehabilitation and competency restoration within criminal justice framework.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $60M from behavioral health fund to create facility providing mental health care/treatment for forensic patients, directly advancing mental health services under healthcare topic.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 896: Prohibit harboring or assisting illegal aliens

HB 896 aimed to expand Montana's obstructing justice laws by redefining who is considered "an offender." Under this bill, "an offender" would include individuals who have entered the United States unlawfully or have not complied with their immigration status conditions. Consequently, a person could be charged with obstructing justice for knowingly harboring, assisting, or preventing the discovery or apprehension of such individuals. The bill also included a $500 appropriation to the Department of Justice to notify local law enforcement agencies and county attorneys about these new requirements.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by redefining 'obstructing justice' to include harboring undocumented immigrants, increasing penalties without reform focus.95% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationBill criminalizes harboring undocumented immigrants, expanding state enforcement against them under obstructing justice laws.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 460: Amending the constitution to provide for electors of a county to call a grand jury

HB 460 proposed a constitutional amendment in Montana to allow citizens in any county to call for a grand jury. Currently, grand juries are impaneled at the discretion of a district judge. The bill would have required a grand jury to be summoned if a petition signed by a specific percentage of registered electors in a county was submitted. It also mandated that county attorneys prosecute indictments from these citizen-initiated grand juries and allowed the grand jury to seek assistance from the Attorney General or hire a private prosecutor if necessary.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncreases public oversight by enabling citizen petitions to initiate grand juries, promoting transparency in court processes - a key aspect of criminal justice reform.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 437: Provide for dismissal of certain criminal charges against health care provider

HB 437 would have allowed health care providers in Montana to request the dismissal of criminal charges related to their professional conduct. If a provider filed such a motion, the state would be required to prove in court that the provider's actions were knowingly or purposely committed, not merely negligent, and that they were outside the accepted standards of care. If the state failed to meet this burden of proof, the court would dismiss the complaint, information, or indictment against the health care provider. The bill aimed to provide protections for health care providers.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects health care providers from criminal negligence charges by requiring state to prove intent, advancing defendant rights in criminal procedure.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 852: Generally revise bailbond laws

HB 852 aimed to revise laws related to surety bail bonds, significantly expanding the authority and rights of surety bail bond insurance producers. The bill would grant producers powers to apprehend defendants, including across state lines and by force, without requiring a prior court order. It also intended to make producers formal parties in legal proceedings concerning their bonds, giving them rights to notice, participation, and the ability to file motions in court. Additionally, the bill sought to revise procedures for bail determination, forfeiture, and defendant surrender, and regulate communication methods like teletypes between jails and bond agents.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands bail bond producer authority for forceful apprehension without court order, reducing defendant rights and opposing criminal justice reform efforts.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 542: Revise DUI offense penalties for third offense to be a felony

House Bill 542 aims to revise the penalties for individuals convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) offenses. It increases the minimum imprisonment terms for first convictions from 24 to 72 consecutive hours, and for second convictions from 7 to 30 days. While the bill's title indicates an intent to reclassify a third DUI offense as a felony, the provided text

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases DUI penalties (72h jail for first, 30d for second, third offense as felony), directly increasing mandatory sentences which opposes criminal justice reform trends.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 433: Preserve right to keep and bear arms via a presumption of innocence

HB 433 sought to protect an individual's right to keep and bear arms while awaiting trial. The bill proposed that a person could not be deprived of their Second Amendment or Montana constitutional firearm rights before a conviction. This protection would apply unless the individual was charged with a forcible felony or a crime of violence involving a weapon, as defined in statute 45-2-101. The bill aimed to preserve these rights during the pre-trial phase for most offenses.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePreserves defendant's firearm rights pre-conviction, aligning with civil rights protection in criminal justice proceedings95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 709: Create the crime of human smuggling

HB 709 sought to establish the crime of "human smuggling" in Montana, targeting individuals and entities who knowingly transport or harbor people who have unlawfully entered the United States without federal inspection. Individuals convicted of this crime would face penalties including imprisonment, a substantial fine, or both. Entities found guilty would lose their eligibility for certain state tax exemptions. Additionally, the bill included provisions for the criminal forfeiture of property, such as vehicles and funds, if used in or derived from the crime of human smuggling.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new crime of human smuggling, expanding criminalization without reform elements per indicators.90% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationBill criminalizes transporting/harboring undocumented immigrants with penalties, increasing state enforcement against activities aiding undocumented individuals, directly opposing immigrant protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 635: Revise human rights laws to prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion programs

HB 635 proposes to prohibit state and local government agencies from funding, establishing, or supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. It would prevent these agencies from requiring employees to participate in DEI programs or spending public funds on related services or staff. The bill defines DEI programs as activities that focus on describing power structures, methods to dismantle them, or advancing theories like implicit bias or systemic oppression. However, it includes exceptions for complying with federal law, specific state human rights laws, court orders, and offering sexual harassment training. This legislation directly affects state and local government agencies and their employees in Montana.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill prohibits DEI programs addressing systemic oppression and implicit bias - key components of criminal justice reform. This restricts initiatives to reduce bias in law enforcement and courts, aligning with 'oppose' indicators.80% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentProhibits government funding/support for DEI programs addressing workplace discrimination, directly restricting employment equality initiatives under Labor & Employment protections.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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