Montana State Auditor's Office

JOHN MORRISON
State Auditor
Commissioner of Insurance and Securities

John Morrison was elected Montana State Auditor, the Commissioner of Insurance and Securities in November 2000 and re-elected in 2004. As State Auditor, John's top priorities have been consumer protection and job creation.  John and his staff have successfully prosecuted Montana’s largest securities and insurance cases, recovering millions for consumers and investors.  He has worked to prevent harm to consumers and investors, especially seniors, through new programs like InvestSmart Montana.

John has also been working to reduce the number of uninsured Montanans since taking office.  The 2005 Montana Legislature approved John’s Insure Montana program that uses tax credits and pooling to make health insurance more affordable for Montana’s small businesses.  John has been a leader in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.  As chair of the NAIC’s Health Insurance and Managed Care Committee, John testified in the United States Senate on small business health insurance solutions.  As chair of the Consumer Protection Working Group, John led the roll out of the Consumer Information Source, a national internet portal for consumers.  He also chaired the task force addressing legal issues arising from the terrorist attacks on September 11.

During his tenure, John has been the driving force in developing and gaining legislative approval for the Land Banking program.  This process, used by the Montana Board of Land Commissioners, allows the Board to work with the Department of Natural Recourses and Conservation to sell isolated parcels of trust land and then replace them with consolidated holdings that produce more income for the State’s land trusts.  Additionally, the acquired lands provide greater public access for recreational activities.

John and his staff recognized an opportunity for Montana in the Captives insurance industry. The 2001 Legislature passed a law allowing captive insurance companies to operate in Montana .  A captive insurance company is a specialized company established primarily to insure the risks of a parent company or members of an association.  They serve the insurance needs of the parent organization or association without the uncertainties of commercial availability and cost.  They provide an insurance alternative for businesses and organizations, which is particularly important in today’s hard insurance market when companies are looking for options.

Prior to his election, John practiced law in Montana for 13 years. He holds an AV rating with Martindale Hubbell, the highest mark for legal skills and professional ethics.  As a member of the State Bar Association Ethics Committee, he co-authored dozens of opinions on ethical issues.  He is also a past president of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association. He represented Montana in the state's tobacco case, represented the New York Times and other media organizations in the "Unabomber" case, and handled many complex insurance cases in federal and state trial and appellate courts. He previously worked as a legislative aide and legal counsel in the U.S. Senate.

John received a bachelor's degree in philosophy and politics from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash., and a law degree from the University of Denver where he was a winner of the national trial competition and a law review editor. He has written numerous legal articles and a book, "Mavericks, The Lives and Battles of Montana Political Legends."

John and his wife Cathy have two daughters, Allison 13, and Amanda 10.