Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
House committee advances bill to limit gubernatorial privilege over executive records
Summary
A House committee voted to advance House Bill 271, sponsored by Representative Staffman, to narrow a gubernatorial privilege recently recognized by the Montana Supreme Court so more executive-branch records remain subject to public disclosure.
Representative Stefan Staffman moved House Bill 271 forward in committee, saying the measure would restore transparency by distinguishing personal privacy from documents about policy or politics.
"The best way to avoid mold in government is sunshine," Staffman said, urging a green vote. He described the bill as a way for the Legislature to "put in code the values of our constitution" after the Supreme Court recognized a governor's privilege in recent litigation.
The bill responds to a Montana Supreme Court ruling the sponsor described as…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
