The bill aims to clarify the budget request process for the judicial branch by requiring that each district court program's budget request be submitted separately. It establishes new reporting requirements, mandating that the proposed total budget for each district court be presented individually rather than as a collective request. This change is intended to enhance transparency and accountability in the budgeting process for the judicial system. The bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA), specifically sections 3-1-702, 3-1-1601, and 17-7-111, to incorporate these new provisions.

Additionally, the bill removes previous language that allowed for the collective approval of district court budgets by the legislature, instead emphasizing the need for individual presentations. It also introduces a requirement for the court administrator to provide quarterly reports to the Legislative Finance Committee detailing expenditures for each district court. This shift aims to ensure that the financial operations of each district court are closely monitored and that the legislature has the necessary information to make informed budgetary decisions.

Statutes affected:
HB0722_1.pdf: 3-1-702, 3-1-1601, 3-5-901, 17-7-111
HB0722_2.pdf: 3-1-702, 3-1-1601, 3-5-901, 17-7-111
Amended: 3-1-702, 3-1-1601, 3-5-901, 17-7-111
Introduced: 3-1-702, 3-1-1601, 3-5-901, 17-7-111