Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB92: Generally revise eligibility requirements to practice law in Montana
Status: Failed, May 23, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act entitled: "an act providing that membership and paying dues to the state bar of montana is voluntary; and providing a delayed effective date.".
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT PROVIDING THAT MEMBERSHIP AND PAYING DUES TO THE STATE BAR OF MONTANA IS VOLUNTARY; AND PROVIDING A DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATE." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. Legislative findings. (1) In 1885 the Montana bar association was established as voluntary group. (2) In 1974 the Montana supreme court by court order created the state bar of Montana and made membership mandatory, requiring lawyers to join and pay dues to the state bar of Montana as condition of their law license. (3) Nearly half the states currently have voluntary bar associations that do not require lawyers to join as condition of their law license. (4) Article VII, section 2(3), of the Montana constitution provides in part that the Montana supreme court "may make rules governing appellate procedure, practice and procedure for all other courts, admission to the bar and the conduct of its members". (5) The state bar of Montana does not perform the Montana supreme court's constitutional charge to make rules regarding admission to the bar for lawyers. This function is handled by the attorneys' examining board, a committee the supreme court appoints pursuant to 37-61-102 and Article VII, section 2(3), of the Montana constitution. (6) The state bar of Montana does not perform …
Sponsors
- Fuller, John (R, 4) · primary sponsor
- Millett, Tom (R, 2)
Latest actions
- : (S) Died in Process
- : (H) 2nd Reading
- : (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- : (H) Committee Report
- : (H) Committee Executive Action
- : (H) Hearing
- : (H) 1st Reading
- : (H) Referred to Committee
- : (S) Transmitted to House
- : (S) 3rd Reading
Votes
- Do Concur (April 10, 2025): 43 yea, 56 nay, failed
- Do Pass (January 24, 2025): 31 yea, 18 nay, passed
- Do Pass (January 23, 2025): 32 yea, 18 nay, passed
Subjects: Judges and Justices, Courts, Professions and Occupations A-D, Professions and Occupations E-N
Common questions
- What is SB92?
- SB92 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Generally revise eligibility requirements to practice law in Montana.
- What does SB92 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act entitled: "an act providing that membership and paying dues to the state bar of montana is voluntary; and providing a delayed effective date.".
- What is the status of SB92?
- Failed as of May 23, 2025. Latest action: (S) Died in Process (May 23, 2025).
- Who sponsored SB92?
- Fuller, John (R, 4), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for SB92?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0044
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.