House Bill No. introduced by L. Deming mandates a one-time performance audit of the Montana State Bar Association, to be conducted by the Legislative Audit Division. The audit will focus on understanding the funding sources of the State Bar, analyzing budgets, costs, and functions over the past decade, and assessing financial, operational, and technological risks. The judicial branch is responsible for covering the costs of this audit, which must be completed and presented to the Legislative Audit Committee by December 15, 2026. The findings will also be shared with the Law and Justice Interim Committee and posted 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 or under the supervision of the Montana Supreme Court in the definition of "state agency." This change broadens the scope of oversight to ensure that the audit encompasses all relevant entities involved in the management of public funds related to the State Bar. The audit will not examine any confidential or sensitive files protected by Montana Supreme Court rules, ensuring the privacy of certain legal records.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 5-13-102
HB0065_1(1): 5-13-102
HB0065_1(2): 5-13-102
HB0065_1(3): 5-13-102
HB0065_1(4): 5-13-102
HB0065_1(5): 5-13-102
HB0065_1: 5-13-102
HB0065_2(1): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(10): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(11): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(12): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(13): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(14): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(2): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(3): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(4): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(5): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(6): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(7): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(8): 5-13-102
HB0065_2(9): 5-13-102
HB0065_2: 5-13-102
HB0065_3(1): 5-13-102
HB0065_3(2): 5-13-102
HB0065_3(3): 5-13-102
HB0065_3(4): 5-13-102
HB0065_3(5): 5-13-102
HB0065_3(6): 5-13-102
HB0065_3(7): 5-13-102
HB0065_3(8): 5-13-102
HB0065_3: 5-13-102