Senate Bill No. introduced by B. Usher mandates a one-time performance audit of the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, to be conducted by the Legislative Audit Division. The audit will focus on understanding the funding sources for the office, analyzing budgets, costs, and functions over the past decade, and assessing financial, operational, and technological risks. The judicial branch is required to cover the full cost of the audit, which must be completed and presented to the Legislative Audit Committee by December 15, 2026. Following the audit, the findings will be shared with the Law and Justice Interim Committee and the Section D Interim Budget Subcommittee, and will also be made available on the Legislative Audit Division's website.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 5-13-102 of the Montana Code Annotated to include "entities created by an order of or subject to supervision by the Montana supreme court" in the definition of "state agency." This change expands the scope of entities that fall under the legislative audit's jurisdiction, ensuring that the Office of Disciplinary Counsel is included in the oversight process.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 5-13-102
SB0014_1(1): 5-13-102
SB0014_1(2): 5-13-102
SB0014_1(3): 5-13-102
SB0014_1(4): 5-13-102
SB0014_1(5): 5-13-102
SB0014_1(6): 5-13-102
SB0014_1(7): 5-13-102
SB0014_1(8): 5-13-102
SB0014_1: 5-13-102