Criminal Justice

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.

Senate Joint Resolution 36 (SJ 36) requests an interim study on standardizing the prosecution of dependent neglect and child abuse cases in Montana. The study will evaluate the feasibility of expanding the Department of Justice's Child Protection Unit to handle these cases statewide. This aims to address inconsistencies in how these cases are currently handled across different judicial districts. The goal is to improve outcomes for children, ensure due process for all parties, and enhance the overall effectiveness and fairness of Montana's child welfare system. The final results of this study will be reported to the 70th Legislature.

SB 70 revises laws related to conditions of probation and parole supervision. The bill allows a probation and parole officer to remove a condition of supervision without a formal court hearing if the sentencing court, probationer, or county attorney does not object. This change requires the Department of Corrections to notify victims when such a condition is removed. It streamlines the process for adjusting probation conditions, directly affecting individuals under supervision, probation officers, and victims.