By Keila Szpaller, Daily Montanan
The Montana State Flag flies in front of the Montana State Capitol in Helena on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (Photo by Mike Clark for the Daily Montanan)
Documents related to drafting bills can’t be kept secret from the public, and a new policy that creates a barrier to the information interferes with the “right to know” protected in the Montana Constitution, a new lawsuit alleges.
For decades, members of the public — including journalists and lobbyists — had access to documents related to proposed bills. Those files, called “junque” files, could include emails that showed who might be influencing legislation.
