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Committee hears short technical bill to assign court‑administration duties to chief justice
Summary
Senate Bill 342 would clarify that the Montana Supreme Court’s chief justice — rather than the full court — appoints the court administrator; proponents said the change increases accountability and simplifies recusal questions; no opposition appeared.
Senator John Fuller presented Senate Bill 342, a technical change to statutes governing Supreme Court administration that replaces references to the "court" with the chief justice when describing appointment authority for the court administrator.
The sponsor said the change aligns statutory language with the state constitution, which vests administrative authority in the chief justice, and argued the amendment would increase accountability because the public could effect change via a single elective office rather than a multi‑member vote. Bowen Greenwood, clerk of the Montana Supreme Court, testified in support and said placing the appointment with the chief justice reduces the number of justices who would need to recuse themselves if a court administrator later appeared before the court.
No opponents signed up and the committee discussion was brief. The bill was left for further consideration; no committee vote occurred during the brief hearing.
