# Montana SB 20: Prohibit retired judges from hearing constitutional cases

Montana SB 20, Prohibit retired judges from hearing constitutional cases, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Jason Ellsworth (Republican); status failed, last action 2025-05-23 (Died in Committee); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB20-2025
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Montana SB 20
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Prohibit retired judges from hearing constitutional cases
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2024-12-06
- Last action: 2025-05-23, Died in Committee
- Sponsor: Jason Ellsworth (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Courts, Judges and Justices, Retirement
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (51 yes, 47 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jason Ellsworth (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-15 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 25 | 23 |   |
| 2025-02-14 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 26 | 24 |   |

## Actions (18)

- 2025-05-23: Died in Committee (House)
- 2025-04-17: Tabled in Committee (House)
- 2025-04-07: Hearing Canceled (House)
- 2025-04-07: Hearing (House)
- 2025-03-17: Hearing (House)
- 2025-02-17: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-02-17: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-02-17: Transmitted to House (Senate)
- 2025-02-15: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-24: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-01-24: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-01-11: Hearing Canceled (Senate)
- 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-01-06: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-03: Hearing (Senate)
- 2024-12-06: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- Introduced, 2024-12-09: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=27cb1b82-b822-4152-be72-a34a31ff2acb)

## Related bills

- SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law (signed)
- HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit (vetoed)
- HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws (vetoed)
- SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act (vetoed)
- SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed)
- SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed)

## Sources
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=27cb1b82-b822-4152-be72-a34a31ff2acb)

## Related
- [SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB437-2025)
- [HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB831-2025)
- [HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB628-2025)
- [SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB410-2025)
- [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025)
- [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025)
- [Montana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana/bills)
- [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB20-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).