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Heated hearing on bill to authorize legislative audit of State Bar of Montana; bar calls proposal punitive and unconstitutional
Summary
House Bill 65 would authorize a Legislative Audit Division performance audit of the State Bar of Montana and entities created by or under supervision of the Supreme Court; the bar and its counsel argued the organization is private, not state-funded, and warned the proposed audit would invade confidentiality and exceed statutory authority
Representative Lee Deming opened House Bill 65 saying the measure would authorize an audit of the State Bar of Montana because the organization collects funds required for licensure. “Because Montana is part of the state government, a legislative audit of those funds is justified,” he said.
Bruce Spencer, speaking for the State Bar of Montana, opposed the bill and called the state bar a private organization that “is not a state agency. It is not funded by the state.” He said the bar already undergoes annual…
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