HB646

Montana HB646 proposes to change the election of Supreme Court justices from at-large to district-based.

Montana HB646 proposes to amend the state constitution and statutes to change the election of Supreme Court justices from at-large to district-based. The bill establishes seven judicial districts, each electing one justice. It mandates the legislature to review these districts after each decennial census. The bill also includes provisions for the transition of current justices to their new districts and maintains the current term length of eight years. The changes would apply to elections and appointments beginning in 2026.