This bill aims to implement various provisions related to the judicial system in Montana, including increasing the number of district court judges and conducting interim studies on offender re-entry services and the consolidation of legal services across state agencies. Specifically, the bill amends Section 3-5-102 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to increase the number of judges in the 13th district from eight to ten. Additionally, it introduces new sections that require the Department of Corrections to report on inappropriate communications at the Montana State Prison, and mandates the Law and Justice Interim Committee to study the effectiveness and costs of offender re-entry services, as well as the compensation discrepancies among legal occupations in state agencies.

Furthermore, the bill revises legal representation provisions for children involved in child abuse and neglect cases by amending Section 41-3-425 of the MCA. It clarifies the circumstances under which the court must appoint counsel for children and other parties involved in related proceedings. The bill also includes a provision for the transfer of funds to support the missing indigenous persons task force and outlines conditions under which certain sections of the bill would become void if specific appropriations are not included in House Bill No. 2. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with certain sections terminating on September 30, 2026.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 3-5-102, 41-3-425