House Bill No. introduced by B. Mercer aims to limit the types of interim study entities that can request legislation. Specifically, it stipulates that an interim committee, task force, working group, commission, council, or any other entity associated with the legislative branch can only request legislation if at least a majority of its members are legislators. This new restriction is outlined in a newly inserted section of the bill.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 53-1-216 of the Montana Code Annotated, which pertains to the Montana criminal justice oversight council. The amendment removes the council's ability to request legislation for changes to the state's criminal justice system, which they previously found necessary. The bill also includes provisions for the council's structure, duties, and the process for filling vacancies, while ensuring that council members are reimbursed for travel expenses and compensated as appropriate. Furthermore, a new section is included to codify the restriction on requesting legislation as part of Title 5, chapter 4, part 1.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 53-1-216
HB0546_1(1): 53-1-216
HB0546_1(2): 53-1-216
HB0546_1(3): 53-1-216
HB0546_1: 53-1-216