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Senate approves bill to make Montana State Bar membership voluntary after contentious debate
Summary
The Senate committee recommended passage of Senate Bill 92, which would eliminate mandatory dues-paying membership in the State Bar of Montana; the measure passed second reading in committee by a 32–18 vote after extended debate over constitutionality and judicial authority.
Senate Bill 92, a measure to make membership in the State Bar of Montana voluntary, cleared second reading in the Committee of the Whole after a 32–18 vote following a lengthy floor debate.
The bill, carried by Senator Tom Fuller, would remove the requirement that attorneys pay dues to the State Bar as a condition of practicing law in Montana. Fuller told senators the proposal protects freedom of association and argued that mandatory membership violates the First Amendment. "This is a…
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