[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6394331,"mediaKeyId","2103610-fa2609c62e8b97ef112b3e9a32f818fa","parentId",2103610,"title","State Bar president defends bar structure, CLE policy before Montana Senate Judiciary Committee","audioSeconds",2583,"startMs",4159000,"endMs",6742000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2103610-fa2609c62e8b97ef112b3e9a32f818fa&start=4159&end=6742","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2103610-fa2609c62e8b97ef112b3e9a32f818fa/thumbnail_4159000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6394331/Montana/State-Bar-president-defends-bar-structure-CLE-policy-before-Montana-Senate-Judiciary-Committee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394331-bac10dedaf0093efd531fd445393ec52/orig.mp4?Expires=1771222340&Signature=SXEm82qn7cI~r4tjhHd1hUDNbjDLqT2EsJPFQbmJdscFBarMGvz9U5FgHhLIdmGQl5Zt-J-ICPnasB2cifTBPF-GubkZ5m9ItHZdYxF4l0Ra80sqUK2e2b6Pcs9PGWFT7wNjYsTNqUJvofkfMfsyE~~X~q9CRSCdltotTsHOe8tgzXNeiYJ4pSb5Mi7ZRBm4PdRM0xo~hkcjU31041sgIww7RLsXUCStNG8jFo3x0n2CqRJrMxDulfH3QCktQP3knslXNSQLD8ib3KWDUz0euedwCK0eiVpehQFsyFxZLaa5pgQoJ5mRSPQTxoOeUs2UroTgQ55GJGDZvtEHtX6hPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Montana","date","2025-01-07T00:00:00Z","article","Toni Teas, president of the State Bar of Montana, appeared by Zoom before the Senate Judiciary Committee to respond to a December 23 letter from senators seeking answers about remarks made at an April continuing legal-education event.

Teas told the committee she appeared voluntarily and that she drafted the State Bar’s January 6 response to the December 23 letter. She said the State Bar is not involved in or in control of attorney disciplinary proceedings, which are handled by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) and governed by confidentiality rules. Teas said disciplinary matters are treated as confidential under disciplinary rule 20 and that the State Bar cannot comment on matters that have been referred to ODC.

The exchange began after Senator John Fuller said he wrote the December 23 letter seeking a formal response about comments at the April CLE program; Fuller said a member of the event panel made remarks he found objectionable, and he asked the State Bar to answer for those remarks. Teas said the State Bar regretted that comments occurred at the event and that a prior bar president had spoken with the lieutenant governor to express regret; she declined to offer specifics about disciplinary investigations, saying the bar does not control those proceedings.

Committee members pressed Teas for details about the State Bar’s relationship to the Montana Supreme Court and its governance. Teas explained that the bar is a unified, mandatory bar that is self-funded through member dues and was unified by order of the Montana Supreme Court in the 1970s. She said the bar’s board of trustees is elected from geographic areas, the executive committee typically votes on bar positions, and that Keller v. State Bar of Montana guides how a mandatory bar may use dues for legislative activity. She also described a member refund process for pro rata portions of dues spent on lobbying when members disagree with the bar’s positions.

Senators asked whether the bar issued apologies for certain remarks and questioned whether the bar treats criticisms of the judiciary differently from other criticisms. Teas repeatedly said she could not comment on disciplinary matters and noted rule 8.2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which prohibits statements made with knowledge they are false or made with reckless disregard for the truth concerning the integrity of a judge or judicial candidate. She cited public statements by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts about the line between legitimate criticism and threats or intimidation of the judiciary.

Senator Andrea Olsen objected earlier in the meeting to the committee’s plan to invite a bar representative, saying the invitation risked chilling free speech and amounted to calling a citizen or organization to answer for critics’ remarks. Chairman Usher responded that the invitation was voluntary and said the subject related to bills expected before the committee.

Senator Fuller told the committee he received threatening letters after the event and said he had been advised not to expand on specifics at the hearing. Several senators urged the committee to stay focused on the written letters and the bar’s response; other members called for hypothetical questions to avoid discussing confidential matters.

No formal action was taken against the State Bar; the appearance was recorded as part of the committee’s informational business for the organizational meeting.

Why it matters: The exchange touches on questions about the scope of speech at professional events, the boundaries between bar association activities and disciplinary enforcement, and Keller-related limits on mandatory-bar lobbying and dues use — issues that intersect with pending and possible legislation about bar governance and professional regulation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Judiciary Jan 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Toni Teas, president of the State Bar of Montana, appeared by Zoom to respond to a December 23 letter from senators about remarks at an April CLE event; she said disciplinary matters are handled by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel and emphasized the bar’s limitations and funding model.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MT, Montana","taxId",77694,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6394335,"Senate Judiciary Committee adopts proxy procedure, sets limits on testimony and amendments",166,954000,1120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2103610-fa2609c62e8b97ef112b3e9a32f818fa&start=954&end=1120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2103610-fa2609c62e8b97ef112b3e9a32f818fa/thumbnail_954000.jpg","/articles/6394335/Montana/Senate-Judiciary-Committee-adopts-proxy-procedure-sets-limits-on-testimony-and-amendments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394335-b4832d45fbb55a6d400ff609a37e962e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771222340&Signature=WovZUnQZETapAmQGEysqjZ3kIOyCUmc~HtjgZzf4bfD7xEuLm16EzlPjcGllGRiHd-ygAa6qdyLC7V9ACc007AIQ1P2zJ9QQ28GuONNaiQBnyPlhAPevtKrLUmK9YYZ1KiCM7e1~YSf7eAwhYtIAbeWrg6CJnNrfQ1bpHzv1l1i7gOlSpqrBQf0-WDQmqRdKr6j07XhV-MHE9NX7QIndKFmofCdXiyJoMErdMBqqV7i76VQelU7IUjk3c951szY3kKb0jksEOiCa94GkKAPTdFvgB1202hSVRhNHyuBEsR2YJtFoVUyiQp3~jlOsRmDz1fBbffk05KxU2L1nVi7-Sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montana Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to accept a standing proxy procedure and set rules for testimony, amendment requests and remote participation during its organizational meeting for the 2025 session.

Chairman Barry Usher opened the session and, after staff briefings, the committee considered a motion from Senator Theresa Mansella to use proxies according to prior precedent. Mansella moved that the committee “utilize the proxies in the manner that we have set into prior precedents.” The motion passed by unanimous voice vote.

The proxy process described on the record requires members to sign multiple proxies and places daily custody primarily with vice chairs. Committee staff attorney Julianne Burkhart told members that each senator typically signs at least six proxies and vice chairs maintain a supply; when a vice chair has a conflict, that vice chair designates another caucus member to hold proxies for that meeting. Chair Usher said he prefers to allow proxies because members attend many committees and other obligations.

Committee staff outlined administrative rules to manage the heavy bill load. Usher said the committee already had 29 prefiled bills in its queue and that he expects a large workload. Burkhart said she will be the committee’s primary amendment drafter but asked senators to give her 24 hours’ notice for requested amendments so editing and production pipelines can prepare amendment paperwork. Secretary Grace Gibney said she will post each day’s hearing and executive-action order on the committee whiteboard and will record votes and minutes; she said the committee will generally not accept “virtual” or on-the-fly amendments except for minor grammatical fixes.

Other procedural points put on the record included: a three-question limit for committee members during hearings, a three-minute guideline for proponents and opponents (subject to chair discretion and exceptions for recognized experts), one discretionary postponement per bill on the whiteboard during a meeting to allow drafting work, and a requirement that remote witnesses sign up no later than two hours before a hearing to be placed on the committee Zoom roster. Usher also described new microphone controls and a laptop-based Zoom queue the room will use to monitor and invite remote participants.

Burkhart said she will attend subcommittee meetings if requested, will draft committee bills, and will help connect senators with research and data resources. Gibney urged senators to keep bill folders provided on desks until executive action or the committee indicates otherwise; materials left off the desk may be recycled and can be difficult to retrieve later.

The committee adjourned at the close of the session; Senator Andrea Olsen made a motion to adjourn that the chair accepted and the committee recessed until its next scheduled meeting.

Why it matters: The committee’s proxy rules, limits on testimony and strict amendment timeline are intended to help the Judiciary Committee manage a large docket and move bills efficiently. The administrative decisions also affect how constituents and stakeholders will engage with hearings and the timeframe for submitting amendments.","The Montana Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to adopt an established proxy procedure and outlined administrative rules for hearings, amendments and remote participation at its 2025 organizational meeting.","actionData","errors"]

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State Bar president defends bar structure, CLE policy before Montana Senate Judiciary Committee

Senate Judiciary Committee adopts proxy procedure, sets limits on testimony and amendments