This bill proposes to reduce the number of associate justices on the Montana Supreme Court from six to four. The amendment to Section 3-2-101 of the Montana Code Annotated reflects this change, with the legal language indicating the deletion of "six" and the insertion of "four." The bill outlines the specific associate justice positions that will be eliminated, detailing that there will be no elections for these positions in the upcoming general elections scheduled for November 2024 and November 2026.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for contingent voidness, stating that if the Montana Supreme Court finds the reduction unconstitutional, the changes will be void, and the previous structure of six justices will be reinstated starting January 2029. The bill also establishes effective dates for the amendments, with the reduction taking effect on January 6, 2025, and includes a termination clause for the provisions related to the reduction on January 4, 2027. Other sections address the saving clause and severability of the act.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 3-2-101