Plaintiffs challenging the constitutionality of a bill Gov. Greg Gianforte signed in March expanded their litigation efforts Wednesday to include a fail-safe bill Republican lawmakers passed in case the original bill was struck down.
The sprawling saga between Republican lawmakers and the judiciary, which now involves three legal actions, largely began with Senate Bill 140. The legislation eliminated the Judicial Nomination Commission that presented a list of candidates to the governor for appointment. With its passage, Gianforte, a Republican, can now make his own selections to fill judicial vacancies. It's a move GOP lawmakers say will allow them to bring more conservative judges to the bench.Â