House Judiciary adopts proxy voting for committee business

The Montana House Judiciary Committee voted to allow proxy voting for the 2025 session after Vice Chair Lee Deming moved the committee adopt proxies and the committee approved the change by voice vote.

Committee Chair Amy Regier opened discussion about proxy procedures and said the committee’s rule book already contains most of the rules but the committee would take a formal vote only on allowing proxies. Vice Chair Lee Deming urged members to be cautious about who they name as a proxy, saying, “make sure you can trust whoever you hand your proxy to, to vote the way you want to vote,” and noting that on a prior committee his proxy had been misused “on a couple of very important bills.” Representative Steve Kelly seconded the motion, and Chair Regier conducted a voice vote. Chair Regier announced, “All in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposed?” and indicated the motion passed. The chair said proxy binders will be kept with the vice chairs for members to complete the required forms.

Why it matters: Allowing proxies changes how members’ votes can be cast when they are absent and places responsibility on members to select and document trusted proxies. The committee also reiterated administrative steps to complete proxy forms and store them with vice chairs so proxies can be used during the session.

The committee did not record individual roll-call votes for the proxy adoption; the change was approved by a voice vote. Chair Regier and Vice Chair Deming told members the vice chairs will collect signed proxy forms and distribute binders so proxies are available when needed.

The proxy rule will be applied in committee proceedings for the remainder of the session; members were advised to provide written proxies to vice chairs and to name backups if desired.