Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB465: Revise GAL laws and funding
Status: Failed, May 23, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act entitled: "an act generally revising laws related to guardian ad litem and court-appointed special advocates; eliminating certain references to guardian ad litem; clarifying that funds in the court-appointed special advocate account may not be used to provide funding for attorneys appointed to serve as paid special advocates; defining "special advocate"; and amending sections 3-1-707, 413-102, 41-3-108, 41-3-112, 41-3-115, 41-3-201, 41-3-205, 41-3-425, 41-3-607, 41-3-1010, and 41-3-1012, mca.".
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING LAWS RELATED TO GUARDIAN AD LITEM AND COURT-APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES; ELIMINATING CERTAIN REFERENCES TO GUARDIAN AD LITEM; CLARIFYING THAT FUNDS IN THE COURT-APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE ACCOUNT MAY NOT BE USED TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ATTORNEYS APPOINTED TO SERVE AS PAID SPECIAL ADVOCATES; DEFINING "SPECIAL ADVOCATE"; AND AMENDING SECTIONS 3-1-707, 413-102, 41-3-108, 41-3-112, 41-3-115, 41-3-201, 41-3-205, 41-3-425, 41-3-607, 41-3-1010, AND 41-3-1012, MCA." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: Section 1. Section 3-1-707, MCA, is amended to read: "3-1-707. Court-appointed special advocate account. (1) There is a court-appointed special advocate account in the state special revenue fund. There must be paid into this account the fees collected pursuant to 3-1-318. (2) The money in the account must be used solely for the purpose of providing funding for courtappointed special advocates as defined in 41-3-102. The money in this account may not be used for the purpose of providing funding for attorneys who are appointed to serve as paid special advocates pursuant to 41-3-112. (2) (3) The supreme court administrator shall establish procedures for the distribution and accountability of money in the account. The supreme court administrator may designate nonprofit organizations that ordinarily provide special advocate services to receive or administer the distribution of the fund." Section 2. …
Sponsors
- Lenz, Dennis (R, 25) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : (S) Died in Process
- : (S) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal
- : (S) Tabled in Committee
- : (S) Hearing
- : (S) Referred to Committee
- : (S) 1st Reading
- : (S) Introduced
- : (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- : (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- : (LC) Draft in Assembly
Subjects: Minors, Family Law, State Finance
Common questions
- What is SB465?
- SB465 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Revise GAL laws and funding.
- What does SB465 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act entitled: "an act generally revising laws related to guardian ad litem and court-appointed special advocates; eliminating certain references to guardian ad litem; clarifying that funds in the court-appointed special advocate account may not be used to provide funding for attorneys appointed to serve as paid special advocates; defining "special advocate"; and amending sections 3-1-707, 413-102, 41-3-108, 41-3-112, 41-3-115, 41-3-201, 41-3-205, 41-3-425, 41-3-607, 41-3-1010, and 41-3-1012, mca.".
- What is the status of SB465?
- Failed as of May 23, 2025. Latest action: (S) Died in Process (May 23, 2025).
- Who sponsored SB465?
- Lenz, Dennis (R, 25).
- Where is the official record for SB465?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0472
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.