Bills aimed at changing state judicial branch

HELENA — The Montana Legislature has considered nearly a dozen bills this session aimed at changing how Montana’s judicial branch is formed and how it works.

One controversial bill that would allow the governor to directly appoint judges for vacancies in district courts and the Supreme Court passed the House on Monday.  Senate Bill 140, sponsored by Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, passed on a 67-32 vote. It needs one more vote in the Senate before going to Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk.

But, another bill, which would have politicized the state Supreme Court by forcing would-be Supreme Court justices to file with a political party, failed Monday.