Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] establishes a Montana Judicial Performance Evaluation System, which includes the formation of a Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission responsible for assessing district court judges and supreme court justices. The commission will consist of 11 members appointed by various legislative leaders and the governor, with specific rules governing their appointment and terms. Evaluations will occur at midterm and preelection intervals, utilizing surveys and performance metrics to evaluate judges' conduct and overall performance. The bill also grants the commission rulemaking authority and allocates it to the Department of Justice for administrative purposes.

Key provisions include the requirement for the Secretary of State to include judicial evaluation information in voter information pamphlets and the establishment of reporting requirements and a transition plan. The bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated to incorporate these changes, ensuring confidentiality of evaluation reports until a judge declares candidacy for election. Additionally, it introduces new provisions regarding the appointment and terms of commission members, mandates reporting to legislative committees, and appropriates $500,000 from the general fund for implementation in the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026. The act is set to terminate on June 30, 2035, and includes codification instructions for its integration into existing law.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(1): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(10): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(11): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(12): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(13): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(14): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(15): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(2): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(3): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(4): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(5): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(6): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(7): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(8): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1(9): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_1: 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(1): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(10): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(11): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(12): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(13): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(14): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(15): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(16): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(17): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(18): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(2): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(3): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(4): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(5): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(6): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(7): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(8): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2(9): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_2: 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_3(1): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_3(2): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_3(3): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_3(4): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_3(5): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_3(6): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_3(7): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_3(8): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_3(9): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_3: 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(1): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(10): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(11): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(12): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(13): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(2): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(3): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(4): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(5): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(6): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(7): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(8): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4(9): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_4: 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_5(1): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_5(2): 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410
SB0045_5: 3-1-1124, 13-13-214, 13-27-401, 13-27-410