Confirm governor's appointee for workers' compensation judge
Summary
SR 42 is a Senate resolution that confirms the Governor’s appointment of Thomas Lee Bruner of Whitehall, Montana, to serve as a Workers’ Compensation Court Judge. The resolution states that the Senate concurs in, confirms, and consents to the appointment made under Montana law and submitted to the Senate by written communication dated January 16, 2025. Bruner’s term is set to end on September 8, 2029.
The measure is procedural rather than substantive: it does not create new law, amend statutes, or alter workers’ compensation rules. Instead, it completes the Senate’s constitutional and statutory role in approving a gubernatorial appointment to a judicial office within Montana’s workers’ compensation system. Once adopted, the Secretary of the Senate is directed to deliver the resolution to the Secretary of State and the Governor.
The bill’s impact is limited to the personnel composition of the Workers’ Compensation Court. By confirming the appointee, it authorizes Bruner to assume or continue in the judicial office and ensures the court has a duly confirmed judge to hear workers’ compensation disputes. The resolution references sections 5-5-302, 5-5-303, and 2-15-1707, MCA, which govern appointment submission and confirmation procedures for this office.
The general sentiment around SR 42 appears strongly favorable and noncontroversial. The Judiciary Committee adopted the resolution 8-0, and the full Senate adopted it 50-0, indicating unanimous support among voting members. There is no recorded committee testimony or debate in the provided materials suggesting opposition or concern.
No notable points of contention are reflected in the available record. Because the resolution concerns a single judicial appointment, any discussion would typically focus on the nominee’s qualifications and the confirmation process rather than policy differences. The unanimous votes suggest the Senate viewed the appointment as routine and uncontroversial.
Impact
SR 42 does not amend Montana’s workers’ compensation statutes or change substantive law; it exercises the Senate’s confirmation authority over a gubernatorial appointment. Its legal effect is to confirm Thomas Lee Bruner as Workers’ Compensation Court Judge for a term ending September 8, 2029, thereby filling or maintaining a judicial position within the state’s workers’ compensation adjudication system. The resolution also triggers ministerial actions requiring transmission of the adopted resolution to the Secretary of State and the Governor under the cited Montana Code provisions.
Sentiment
The sentiment surrounding SR 42 is uniformly positive and procedural. The Judiciary Committee approved the resolution 8-0, and the full Senate adopted it 50-0, reflecting broad bipartisan or unanimous confidence in the appointment. No committee transcripts or floor debate were provided, and the voting record shows no recorded opposition.
Contention
There is no apparent contention in the available record. The resolution concerns a single appointment to the Workers’ Compensation Court, and the unanimous committee and floor votes indicate that senators did not raise objections about the nominee, the appointment process, or the office itself. In the absence of testimony or debate, any potential concerns about qualifications, judicial philosophy, or workers’ compensation policy are not reflected in the materials provided.