Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB151: Direct the director of the public defender's office to create units for family defense and children's representation
Status: Failed, May 23, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act entitled: "an act directing the director of the office of the state public defender to establish units to provide family defense and child representation services; amending section 47-1-105, mca; and providing an effective date.".
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT DIRECTING THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF THE STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER TO ESTABLISH UNITS TO PROVIDE FAMILY DEFENSE AND CHILD REPRESENTATION SERVICES; AMENDING SECTION 47-1-105, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. Direction to the director. (1) In implementing [section 2] 47-1-105(1)(E) AND (1)(F), the director of the office of the state public defender shall: (1) limit the office's reliance on and utilization of contract attorneys to the extent ethically and practically possible. ; AND (2) In implementing [section 2(1)(f)], the director shallcollaborate with the department of public health and human services to leverage and maximize federal resources under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act. Section 2. Section 47-1-105, MCA, is amended to read: "47-1-105. Director -- duties -- report -- standards for public defender services qualification and training. (1) The director shall supervise and direct the system. In addition to other duties assigned pursuant to this chapter, the director shall: (a) establish the qualifications, duties, and compensation of the public defender division administrator provided for in 47-1-201, hire the public defender division administrator after considering qualified applicants, and regularly evaluate the performance of the public defender division administrator; (b) establish the qualifications, duties, and compensation of …
Sponsors
- Lenz, Dennis (R, 25) · primary sponsor
- Klakken, Shane (R, 37)
Latest actions
- : (S) Died in Process
- : (H) Motion
- : (H) Tabled in Committee
- : (H) Taken from Table in Committee
- : (H) Tabled in Committee
- : (H) Hearing
- : (H) Rereferred to Committee
- : (H) 2nd Reading
- : (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- : (H) Committee Report
Votes
- Take from APH to Third reading - Howell (April 25, 2025): 49 yea, 50 nay, failed
- Do Concur (April 9, 2025): 95 yea, 2 nay, passed
- Do Pass (February 18, 2025): 47 yea, 3 nay, passed
- Do Pass (February 15, 2025): 46 yea, 2 nay, passed
- Do Pass As Amended (January 30, 2025): 44 yea, 5 nay, passed
- AMD-SB0151.001.002 Lenz D/PASS (January 30, 2025): 49 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Minors, Family Law, State Government
Common questions
- What is SB151?
- SB151 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Direct the director of the public defender's office to create units for family defense and children's representation.
- What does SB151 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act entitled: "an act directing the director of the office of the state public defender to establish units to provide family defense and child representation services; amending section 47-1-105, mca; and providing an effective date.".
- What is the status of SB151?
- Failed as of May 23, 2025. Latest action: (S) Died in Process (May 23, 2025).
- Who sponsored SB151?
- Lenz, Dennis (R, 25), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for SB151?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0466
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.