Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB457: Revise laws regarding legislative subpoenas
Status: Passed one chamber, May 8, 2025
What the bill says
An act revising enforcement of legislative subpoenas; providing a procedure to poll the members of the house of representatives or the senate when a witness or person compelled to produce records fails to comply with a legislative subpoena; providing a misdemeanor penalty of criminal contempt of the legislature; amending sections 5-5-109 and 5-11-107, mca; and providing an effective date.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT REVISING ENFORCEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SUBPOENAS; PROVIDING A PROCEDURE TO POLL THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OR THE SENATE WHEN A WITNESS OR PERSON COMPELLED TO PRODUCE RECORDS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH A LEGISLATIVE SUBPOENA; PROVIDING A MISDEMEANOR PENALTY OF CRIMINAL CONTEMPT OF THE LEGISLATURE; AMENDING SECTIONS 5-5-109 AND 5-11-107, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Section 1. Procedure for certifying contempt of legislature. (1) Either house of the legislature, a committee of either house, a committee established under legislative rules, a statutory committee, or an interim committee with power to issue a subpoena under 5-5-107 or 5-11-107 may commit a witness that fails to appear or a person that fails to produce records for criminal contempt of the legislature by following the procedure in this section. (2) (a) If the legislature is in session when the failure to abide the subpoena occurs, a simple resolution setting forth the statement of facts in subsection (3) may be introduced in the chamber that issued the subpoena. A majority of members present may adopt the resolution, enter it into the journal, and commit the witness or person for contempt of the legislature. (b) If the legislature is not in session when the violation occurs, a proclamation of contempt setting forth the statement of facts in subsection (3) may be …
Sponsors
- Vinton, Sue (R, 20) · primary sponsor
- Deming, Lee (R, 54)
Latest actions
- : Chapter Number Assigned
- : (S) Filed with Secretary of State
- : (S) Transmitted to Governor
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (S) Returned from Enrolling
- : (S) Sent to Enrolling
- : (H) 3rd Reading
- : (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- : (H) 2nd Reading
Votes
- Do Concur (April 11, 2025): 55 yea, 44 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 10, 2025): 55 yea, 44 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 6, 2025): 31 yea, 19 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 5, 2025): 30 yea, 20 nay, passed
Subjects: Crimes, Courts, Legislature
Common questions
- What is SB457?
- SB457 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Revise laws regarding legislative subpoenas.
- What does SB457 do?
- In its own words: An act revising enforcement of legislative subpoenas; providing a procedure to poll the members of the house of representatives or the senate when a witness or person compelled to produce records fails to comply with a legislative subpoena; providing a misdemeanor penalty of criminal contempt of the legislature; amending sections 5-5-109 and 5-11-107, mca; and providing an effective date.
- What is the status of SB457?
- Passed one chamber as of May 8, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 8, 2025).
- Who sponsored SB457?
- Vinton, Sue (R, 20), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for SB457?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2754
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.