Committee hears continuation of criminal justice data warehouse under HB 117

House Judiciary heard testimony on House Bill 117, a proposal to continue the work started by 2023’s Senate Bill 11 to develop an integrated criminal justice data warehouse managed by the Montana Board of Crime Control and informed by the Criminal Justice Oversight Council.

Proponents told the committee the warehouse aims to break data “silos” among law enforcement, courts, public defenders and corrections so policymakers can analyze outcomes and craft evidence‑based laws. Supporters described a multi‑year rollout and requested funding for software, staff and court integration.

Brett Shandelson, director of the Office of State Public Defender and a Criminal Justice Oversight Council member, told the committee the project “is a 4 to 6 year project to get to something that might look statewide.” He said the warehouse would allow legislators to ask empirical questions about past policy changes rather than relying only on anecdote.

Multiple criminal justice stakeholders testified in support. Brian Gookin, director of the Department of Corrections, said the system would reduce…