Judge voids filing fee and legal review provisions of 2023 ballot initiative law 

A Montana judge on Monday voided parts of a 2023 law that made it harder for proposed statutory and constitutional initiatives to qualify for the ballot.  Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike Menahan’s ruling removes — for now, at least — a $3,700 filing fee for proposed ballot initiatives and curtails the state attorney general’s ability to review, and in some cases halt or stall, proposed initiatives. “This is a great first step for the people of Montana,” said John Meyer, an environmental law attorney representing the plaintiffs, in a statement Tuesday. “Now we’ll focus o