Montana Representative Nicholas Schwaderer (R-Mineral) has introduced HB 397, to move the non-presidential independent candidate petition deadline to mid-July. The current March deadline was held unconstitutional last year. The Secretary of State’s omnibus election law bill, which has already passed the House, moves that deadline from March to late May, which is still too early by court precedents. The Secretary of State supports HB 397, and says she didn’t put the July deadline in her own omnibus election law bill because an omnibus election law bill, by tradition, doesn’t make any law changes that are controversial. The Chair of the House Judiciary Committee also supports HB 397. Thanks to Steve Kelly for this news. HB 397 has a hearing on February 13.