Montana Court Rules to Restore Public Access to Legislative Drafting Process
HELENA, Mont. — A Montana district court judge has mandated the state’s legislature to provide public access to previously undisclosed documents related to the drafting of legislation. This ruling reaffirms a commitment to transparency in the legislative process, long upheld in the state for three decades. On Tuesday, Judge John Kutzman ruled in favor of a coalition comprising news media organizations and private individuals, who argued for the public’s right to view interactions and communications pertaining to bill drafts between lawmakers and citizens. The crux of the ruling is the requirement for the Legislative Services … Read more