Yellowstone County officials are urging voters to approve a bond and levy that would finance a 332‑bed expansion of the Yellowstone County Detention Center and fund the staffing needed to run the larger facility. The measures are slated for the Nov. 3 ballot, and proponents say the expansion is essential because the jail is currently about 200 inmates over capacity, forcing prisoners to sleep on the floor.
According to the Billings Gazette, commissioners and jail staff hosted a press event on Sept. 9 to highlight the renovation and expansion project. At the event, officials detailed how the bond would cover construction of the new beds while the levy would provide ongoing operational costs. The proposal follows a historic precedent: Yellowstone County voters approved a jail bond once before, in 1984, after a riot, a lawsuit and a federal court intervention forced the county to address severe facility deficiencies.
The expansion plan also includes a new women’s wing, which County Commissioner Denis Pitman toured with Billings Chamber of Commerce director Jennifer Reiser during an open house on July 3, 2018. The addition reflects broader concerns about safety and humane conditions, especially after a 1979 riot where inmates were seen clinging to bars in the then‑top‑floor courthouse jail.
Community leaders have framed the issue as a matter of tax fairness and critical services. The Billings Gazette notes a clash in rural Southwest Montana between a luxury ski community and a modest town that spurred statewide reform through new laws, underscoring the local relevance of equitable funding for public safety infrastructure.
Support for the bond and levy has been promoted at a launch party held by the Safe and Secure Yellowstone County coalition at Thirsty Street Brewing Company, where former Billings Mayor Bill Cole addressed attendees. Legal challenges continue, as evidenced by ACLU attorney Alex Rate listening to State Attorney George Clark’s arguments in Lewis and Clark County District Court on Jan. 15, 2026, indicating ongoing scrutiny of the county’s correctional policies.
What’s next: Voters in Yellowstone County will see the bond and levy measure on the Nov. 3 ballot. If approved, the county will move forward with construction of the 332‑bed expansion and secure funding for staffing, aiming to alleviate overcrowding and improve conditions at the detention facility.
Sources: billingsgazette.com
