Montana’s union for public employees and several private business owners say the attorney general and secretary of state didn’t properly vet a proposed constitutional initiative. The groups are suing to stop its supporters from gathering signatures.
The proposed constitutional initiative would cap how much the state can tax property.
The Montana Federation of Public Employees, two ranchers and a Helena realtor say Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen didn’t follow state law requiring them to study how the proposal could negatively impact businesses before signature gathering started.
The suit cites a law passed during the 2021 legislative session.
The law also requires the secretary of state to refer such initiatives to a legislative committee.
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