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Montana House Judiciary advances bill allowing party labels, top-two for Supreme Court races after contested hearing
Summary
House Judiciary advanced House Bill 8-38 to the full House after a hearing in which dozens of opponents warned the change would politicize the state Supreme Court. The bill would let candidates list party affiliation (including a voluntary "nonpartisan" option) and send the top two primary finishers to the general election.
Representative Brad Barker opened the hearing on House Bill 8-38, saying the bill would let Supreme Court candidates identify with any party or run nonpartisan and would advance the top two primary finishers to the general election.
Opponents — including the Montana Trial Lawyers Association, the State Bar of Montana, legal scholars and multiple citizens — urged the committee to reject the proposal, arguing it would inject partisan pressure into the judiciary and erode public confidence. Al Smith of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association said judges "should be free from…
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