The bill amends Section 44-7-126 of the Montana Code Annotated to enhance the functionality and purpose of the criminal justice data warehouse, which is managed by the board of crime control. The amendments include new provisions that aim to facilitate data analysis to assist state and local officials in making informed decisions regarding the criminal justice system. Specifically, the bill outlines the intention for the data warehouse to provide a comprehensive and integrated database that tracks various aspects of criminal history, including details about convictions, sentences, offender programming, and the involvement of dangerous drugs in offenses.

Additionally, the bill establishes requirements for data contribution from various entities, including local governments and tribal governments, while ensuring that these entities retain ownership of their contributed data. The board is tasked with adopting memoranda of understanding for data submission, ensuring confidentiality, and seeking federal funding to support the warehouse's operations. The amendments also empower the board to set standards for data formatting and reporting, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the criminal justice data warehouse in supporting data-driven decision-making.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 44-7-126