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Appropriators probe DOJ equipment requests, litigation fund and proposed shooting range
Summary
Committee members questioned DOJ officials about ongoing equipment costs for body cameras and vehicles, the department’s request for ongoing litigation funding, and a proposed training shooting range included elsewhere as part of House Bill 5.
Budget supervisor Beth Thompson and Department of Justice officials told the subcommittee that several DOJ requests reflect ongoing costs rather than one-time purchases.
Thompson said a prior $400,000 equipment appropriation was one-time and that equipment prices remain high; the department hopes to make camera subscriptions ongoing rather than returning frequently for large replacement requests. Will Self, a DOJ official, said the department is moving to subscription-based body-camera systems to amortize costs and to ensure regular updates, and he said the department has seen higher vehicle costs and a shift away from sedans toward more capable vehicles needed for Montana conditions.
On litigation funding, the department said it previously received $1,000,000 per year as a biennial, one-time (OTO) appropriation and that roughly $1.3 million remains unspent in that account. The department asked for $1,000,000 ongoing (annually) for litigation costs; department officials explained they historically route settlement authority and supplemental litigation funding through the legislature to preserve appropriation oversight.
Members also asked about a proposed indoor shooting range referenced in House Bill 5. DOJ officials said interagency training partners sometimes use DOJ facilities; the committee discussed liability, monitoring and possible charging for use. Department officials said details about fees and public access had not been finalized and that the shooting-range appropriation is part of HB 5 and may be considered by the larger appropriations process.
The committee asked for additional written detail about fleet-turnover plans and specific cost estimates for pending litigation; staff and department officials agreed to provide lists of cases and more precise cost breakdowns.
