The Helena City Commission is scheduled to hold a special meeting Thursday to respond to a Montana Attorney General investigation into the legality of Resolution 20-11062, a citizen-backed measure the commission adopted January 26, 2026. The staff recommendation before the commission calls for rescinding the resolution in full, though City Attorney Rebecca Doctor clarified commissioners retain the ability to modify that motion.

The city retained outside counsel Tasha Jones, an attorney from Missoula, to represent Helena in the matter. Jones has already met individually with each commissioner ahead of the special meeting. Doctor confirmed Thursday that no written legal analysis would be provided to commissioners or the public before the vote — a point that drew sharp questions from Commissioner Reid, who noted that a February 11 city press release had stated the resolution was drafted with "careful consideration of applicable local, state, and federal law" and that the city believed it was legally consistent. Reid asked publicly why the staff recommendation was full rescission rather than targeted amendment.

Public commenters at Monday's meeting alleged that the outside attorney hired by the city recommended full repeal — a more aggressive posture, speakers argued, than Attorney General Knudsen himself had sought. According to speakers, the AG's investigation focused only on amendments to sections two and three of the resolution, not elimination of the entire document. Multiple Helena attorneys, speakers said, have outlined targeted amendments as a legally viable path.

The commission received a deadline extension on its required response to the AG's office. The content of that response is expected to be shaped in part by what the commission decides Thursday. Mayor Dean used Monday's meeting to invite Attorney General Knudsen to "have a conversation" with the commission, invoking Governor Gianforte's stated emphasis on building consensus and respecting local community values. The January 26 adoption of the resolution drew what was described as a record turnout for a Helena City Commission meeting — nearly 300 people in person and 200 attending online.