House Bill No. introduced by B. Mercer aims to enhance the process of providing criminal history information to the Criminal Justice Data Warehouse by requiring the Department of Justice, the Department of Corrections, and the Judicial Branch to collaborate and determine the most efficient method for this task. If these entities cannot reach a consensus by October 1, 2025, the Department of Corrections will be mandated to supply the necessary criminal history information. The bill also includes an appropriation of $2,000 each for the Department of Corrections, the Department of Justice, and the Judicial Branch to facilitate this collaboration.

The bill amends Section 44-7-126 of the Montana Code Annotated, specifically inserting provisions that require the aforementioned departments to confer on the best way to provide criminal history information for offenders convicted in district court over the past five fiscal years and for all future offenders. Additionally, it ensures that the names of convicted offenders are identifiable with the provided criminal history information. This legislative effort aims to improve data management within the criminal justice system and ensure compliance with privacy regulations.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 44-7-126
HB0890_1(1): 44-7-126
HB0890_1(2): 44-7-126
HB0890_1: 44-7-126