This bill revises public record laws concerning the Supreme Court in Montana, emphasizing transparency in judicial deliberations. It mandates that all closed meetings of the Supreme Court, which involve judicial deliberations, must be recorded electronically and that a written record must also be maintained. These records will include all documents considered during the deliberations and will be made available for public inspection once the case in question becomes final. The bill specifies that a case is considered final after the time for any further review by the U.S. Supreme Court or any other court has expired.

Additionally, the bill amends existing laws to clarify the definitions of "confidential information" and "public information," ensuring that judicial deliberations of the Supreme Court are included in the public record once a case is finalized. It also stipulates that minutes from closed portions of meetings may not be available for public inspection unless ordered by a court, except for the records of the Supreme Court, which will be accessible after the case is resolved. The effective date for these changes is set for October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_1(1): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_1(2): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_1(3): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_1(4): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_1(5): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_1(6): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_1(7): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_1: 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(1): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(10): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(11): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(12): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(13): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(2): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(3): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(4): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(5): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(6): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(7): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(8): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2(9): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_2: 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_3(1): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_3(2): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_3(3): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_3(4): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_3(5): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_3(6): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_3: 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_4(1): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_4(2): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_4: 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_X(1): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_X(2): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_X(3): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_X(4): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_X(5): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_X(6): 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002
SB0040_X: 2-3-203, 2-3-212, 2-6-1002