Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Abatement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bill to raise municipal court jurisdiction for abatement cases backed by Billings and cities
Summary
Sen. Mike Yakawich said Senate Bill 398 would raise the dollar limit for municipal court jurisdiction from $25,000 to $50,000 for claims involving municipalities, allowing cities to pursue abatement cases more quickly in municipal court; mayors and city managers from Billings supported the change.
Senator Mike Yakawich told the House Judiciary Committee that Senate Bill 398 would increase the municipal‑court jurisdictional limit for claims brought by or against local governments from $25,000 to $50,000. The stated goal is to allow municipalities to resolve abatement cases — for example, demolition and cleanup of blighted or hazardous properties — more quickly in municipal court instead of filing in district court.
Billings Mayor Bill Cole and Billings planning director Wyeth Friday testified in support. They described properties that attract criminal activity or pose safety hazards and said the municipal court route provides faster, more familiar remedies for code enforcement cases. Mayor Cole said district court dockets and the unfamiliarity of district judges with abatement statutes can produce year‑long delays: "An abatement case filed in district court can easily languish for 1 or even 2 years," he said.
Supporters argued the change would save municipalities money, speed neighborhood cleanups and improve public safety. The Montana League of Cities and Towns also testified in support and said several other cities face similar challenges.
No opponents or informational witnesses appeared at the hearing. Senator Yakawich closed by saying the bill is a focused administrative change to improve municipal code enforcement for cities with larger dockets and more complex abatement costs.
The committee did not take a final vote during the hearing.
