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Senate committee hears bill to clarify local government ballot procedures
Summary
The Senate Local Government Committee heard SB 11, a cleanup bill from the Senate Administration and Veterans Affairs Interim Committee intended to align and clarify how local government ballot issues are placed on ballots; committee discussion focused on a technical amendment and an unexplained fiscal note.
Senator Forrest Mandeville, sponsor of Senate Bill 11, told the Senate Local Government Committee the bill is intended to clarify how ballot issues for local governments appear on ballots and to align county petition processes with state law.
The bill was introduced as a cleanup measure requested by the Senate Administration and Veterans Affairs Interim Committee. "This is by request of the Senate Administration and Veterans Affairs Interim Committee," Mandeville said, identifying the bill’s origin. He also noted a technical drafting issue on page 4, line 10 involving a placeholder numbering string that the sponsor intends to remove.
Proponents at the hearing included Todd Devlin, a Prairie County commissioner testifying for the Montana Association of Counties, who described SB 11 as a cleanup that aligns local-government ballot procedures with existing provisions in Title 13 and Title 7. Regina Plattenberg, Ravalli County clerk and recorder and the Montana Association of Clerk and Recorders’ representative, said the bill has been a multiyear effort and supports SB 11; Plattenberg asked that detailed implementation questions be directed to drafter Ginger Aldrich.
Eric Bryson of the Montana Association of Counties described the bill’s intent to mirror the statewide petition-review process for county petitions. "That same process is identified in this bill and ... there's an evaluation to make sure that it's single subject," Bryson said, while also noting that legal challenges can still follow an administrative review.
During questioning, Senator Ellsworth asked about an unexplained dollar amount on the fiscal note. Mandeville replied, "I have no idea. That's why I did not sign the fiscal note. It seems like there's a dollar for the sake of putting a dollar there." Committee members and witnesses discussed proposed amendments; Jennifer Hensley (Missoula County) and Ginger Aldrich (Yellowstone County election administrator, informational witness) were listed as available to work through technical details.
The committee closed the public hearing on SB 11 with the sponsor reserving further amendment work and stakeholders’ buy‑in before executive action. No formal executive action or vote on SB 11 was recorded at the hearing.
Key remaining items for the committee include resolving the page‑4 numbering placeholder and clarifying the fiscal note amount before executive action.
