Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee hears bill to allow counties to compensate reserve deputies for school security
Summary
The House Local Government Committee heard House Bill 323, which would let counties pay reserve deputy sheriffs for duties such as school security. Proponents said compensation could boost staffing; opponents, including the Montana Association of Counties, urged clarifying language to avoid creating employee status and related liabilities.
HELENA — The House Local Government Committee opened a public hearing on House Bill 323 on whether counties may provide pay or other compensation to reserve deputy sheriffs who perform duties such as school security.
Representative Steve Fitzpatrick, R‑House District 24, sponsored the bill and told the committee the measure leaves compensation decisions to county commissions and aims to expand local staffing options for law enforcement.
The bill drew proponents from Cascade County and statewide law enforcement groups. Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter said his office has struggled to staff school security and other assignments and urged a compensation option to recruit retired officers and others with law‑enforcement experience. "Volunteerism is dead," he said. "We have 3 SROs. It's still not enough." Slaughter…
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
