Montana State Legislature

2015-2016 Law and Justice Committee

About Law and Justice Interim Committee

The Law and Justice Interim Committee (LJIC) is a joint bipartisan committee of the legislature that meets between legislative sessions. The LJIC: (1) monitors the activities of the Department of Corrections, the Department of Justice, the Office of State Public Defender, and the Judicial Branch; (2) examines law and justice policy issues; and (3) makes recommendations to the full legislature. The LJIC's responsibilities include reviewing the administrative rules and proposed legislation of assigned executive branch agencies.

  • REPRESENTATIVE JENNY ECK (D)
  • REPRESENTATIVE ELLIE HILL SMITH (D)
  • REPRESENTATIVE SARAH LASZLOFFY (R)
  • REPRESENTATIVE STEVE LAVIN (R)
  • REPRESENTATIVE DALE MORTENSEN (R
  • REPRESENTATIVE CAROLYN PEASE-LOPEZ (D)
  • SENATOR DOUG KARY (R)
  • SENATOR SUE MALEK (D)
  • SENATOR MARY MOE (D
  • SENATOR SCOTT SALES (R)--Chair
  • SENATOR DIANE SANDS (D)--Vice Chair
  • SENATOR NELS SWANDAL (R)

   

 

Law and Justice Interim Committee Topics

A staff summary of the Law and Justice Committee's 2015 - 2016 interim work is available here.

The LJIC is responsible for monitoring the activities of the Department of Corrections, the Department of Justice, and the Office of the Public Defender and any agencies that are administratively attached to those entities. The committee serves as the liaison to the Judicial Branch.

The committee is also responsible for carrying out interim studies as assigned by the Legislature and the Legislative Council. At its June 2015 meeting, the committee tentatively adopted a work plan that outlines its process for completing the interim's work.

Reports and other materials related to these topics will be posted on this site as they become available.

Assigned Study

Statutory Duties

Agency Oversight

Department Of Corrections

Department Of Justice

Office Of The Public Defender

Liaison to the Judicial Branch

Committee Issues

Meeting Materials

Meeting Materials

  • SJ 24: Study Sexual Assault in Montana
    • Bill Drafts
      • Table
      • LClj01 -- Revision of consent definition; creates aggravated SIWOC crime
      • LClj02b -- Unlawful distribution of sexual images or recordings (incorporated into 45-8-213, MCA)
      • LClj03 -- Revision of mandatory minimums for statutory rape; 18 year olds do not have to register as sex offenders
      • LClj03a -- No registration as sex offenders for 18 year olds convicted of statutory rape
      • LClj03b -- Provides maximum penalty for 18 year olds convicted of statutory rape
      • LClj04 -- Elimination of statute of limitations for sex crimes perpetrated against victims under the age of 18
      • LClj05 -- Revise juvenile sex offender registry requirements
      • LClj06 -- Revise sexual assault laws and parental rights
    • Parental Rights and Sexual Assault research -- National Conference of State Legislatures
    • Table: Comparison of Montana Statutes That Allow for Termination of the Parent-Child Legal Relationship and LClj06 Provisions

 

  • SJ 24: Study Sexual Assault in Montana
    • Sexual and Violent Offender Registry
    • Bill Drafts
      • LClj01 -- Revision of consent definition; created aggravated SIWOC crime
      • LClj02 -- Unlawful distribution of sexual images or recordings (new section -- original draft)
      • LClj02a -- Unlawful distribution of sexual images or recordings (new section -- revised draft)
      • LClj02b -- Unlawful distribution of sexual images or recordings (incorporated into 45-8-213, MCA)
      • LClj03 -- Revision of mandatory minimums for statutory rape; 18 year olds do not have to register as sex offenders
      • LClj03a -- No registration as sex offenders for 18 year olds convicted of statutory rape
      • LClj03b -- Provides maximum penalty for 18 year old convicted of statutory rape
      • LClj04 -- Elimination of statute of limitations for sex crimes perpetrated against victims under the age of 18
  • Agency Oversight
 

Proposed Rules for LJIC

*The complete text for any of the proposed rules listed below, including any hearing information, may be accessed by visiting http://mtrules.org and entering the MAR Notice Number in the "Search by Notice No." field in the bottom right-hand corner of the page.

Additional information regarding rulemaking and the Legislature's role in the administrative rulemaking process may be accessed here. Rule summaries presented to the Law and Justice Interim Committee are below.
June 2015      
November 2015      
February 2016      

Dept. of

Notice Date MAR Notice No. Agency, Board or Commission Subject Staff Memo/Other Documents
         

Dept. of

Notice Date MAR Notice No. Agency, Board or Commission Subject Staff Memo/Other Documents
         

 

LJIC Legislation

The LJIC voted in August 2016 to forward 7 bills to the 2017 Legislature. All 7 of the bills were related to the SJ 24 study of sexual assaultin Montana.

The status of the bills can be tracked in LAWS by using the House or Senate Bill number or the LC number during the 2017 session.

  • Table of approved bill drafts
    • SB 29 -- LC 272 - LClj01 -- Revision of consent definition; create aggravated SIWOC crime
    • HB 129 -- LC 274 - LClj02b -- Unlawful distribution of sexual images or recordings (incorporated in 45-8-213, MCA)
    • SB 26 -- LC 273 - LClj03 -- Revision of mandatory minimums for certain "statutory rape" crimes; 18-year-olds do not have to register as sex offenders in certain cases
    • SB 30 -- LC 275 - LClj04 -- Revise statute of limitations for sex crimes perpetrated against victims under the age of 18
    • SB 17 -- LC 276 - LClj05 -- Revise juvenile sex offender registry requirements
    • SB 22 -- LC 277 - LClj06 -- Revise sexual assault laws and parental rights
    • LC 303 - Revise incest laws draft language -- Draft cancelled after it missed deadline for bill preintroduction
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