Happenings on the Hill: Updates from Montana's Capitol

Interim Committees & Studies | MACo's 2013 Bills

During each legislative session, legislators identify issues they want to study in more depth. They appoint interim committees to conduct these and other studies during the interims between sessions. The House and Senate leadership decides on who will be on the interim committees for the interim. Therefore, the members of the interim committees serve one 20 month term. The committees often invite experts to present information to them. Members of the public also get a chance to have their say.

Legislators use what they learn from the interim studies to make well-informed decisions about what bills to consider during the next session.

Administrative Committees

The administrative committees oversee management of the legislative branch of state government also meet during the interim.

You can sign up to get electronic notification of committee meetings. You can also listen to all interim committee meetings held in the Capitol live on the legislative website.

Interim Committees List

Access Past Interim Committees Here

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Listed below are the Interim Study Resolutions that have been filed with the Secretary of State as well as the results of the 2013 Interim Study Poll, based on ballots sent April 25 and returned through May 9. The rank of each study is shown in the far left column, and the total points received are in the far right column. These assignments were adopted by Legislative Council on May 16, 2013.

Rank	Res.	Short Title/Subject	Interim Committee (IC) Assignment	Points
1	HJ 17	Study state pay plans	Legislative Finance Committee	1090
2	SJ 15	Study public land management	Environmental Quality Council	1015
3	HJ 1	Study structure and duties of office of comm of political practices	State Administration and Veterans' Affairs IC	983
3	SJ 6	Study the impacts of Montana's renewable portfolio standard	Energy & Telecommunications IC	983
5	HJ 16	Study state-operated public institutions	Children, Families, Health & Human Services IC	961
6	HJ 25	Study workers' compensation and subrogation, other issues	Economic Affairs IC	825
7	SJ 20	Study prescription drug abuse	Children, Families, Health & Human Services IC	809
8	SJ 23	Study the tax appeal process	Revenue & Transportation IC	804
9	SJ 22	Study family law procedure alternatives	Law & Justice IC	785
10	SJ 3	Study the Board of Pardons and Parole	Law & Justice IC	725
11	HJ 2	Study state/local gov electronic records management	Education & Local Government IC	665
12	HJ 26	Study water ditch/canal easement restatement process options	Water Policy Committee	640
13	SJ 26	Study commerce corridors along Montana highways	Revenue & Transportation IC	628
14	SJ 14	Study local government election procedures	State Administration and Veterans' Affairs IC	604
15	SJ 24	Study military training applicability to civilian jobs	Economic Affairs IC	558
16	SJ 4	Study Virginia City, Nevada City, and Reeder's Alley	Environmental Quality Council	542
17	HJ 30	Study benefits for veterans	Information Request (Staff)*	524
NA	HB 609	Study of hunting and fishing licensing	Environmental Quality Council	NA
NA	HB 633	Create select committee on efficiency in government--members--duties	Select Committee (Vetoed/Poll)	NA
NA	SJ 13	Request MUS to study college completion	Goes directly to MUS for their consideration	NA

Mean Average points = 773 (SJR 22) Median points = 785 (SJR 22) BALLOTS = 107 returned as of 5 p.m., May 9, 2011 (71%). These rankings were compiled from the 107 "ballots" received by LSD as of 5 p.m., Thursday, May 9.

* Legislative Staff recommended that the study of statutory benefits provided to military veterans not be assigned to an interim committee but, instead, be conducted by staff as an information request. The staff's compilation of statutory veterans' benefits would be specifically presented to: State Admin. and Vets' Affairs; EQC; Children and Families; Economic Affairs; Revenue and Transportation; and, if requested, to other committees, including the Legislative Finance Committee.

Click Here for Further Details Regarding the Interim Study Poll Results

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MACo legislation and associated resolutions for the 63rd Legislative Session. Please note that bill information will be posted as it becomes available.

MACo Bill Statuses
Res. No.	Res. Short Title	Bill	LC	Requestor/Sponsor	Bill Short Title	Action
2010-01	Amending the Interagency Bison Management Plan	---	---	---	---	---
2010-09	Interim Zoning	SB 105	1063	Taylor Brown	Revise interim zoning laws	(S) Died in Process*
2010-13	Mobile Home Disposal	HB 192	0542	Roger A Hagan	Revise laws related to mobile home transfer and taxes	Chapter Number Assigned
2010-17	Food Safety Compliance	---	---	---	---	---
2010-19	Statutory Continuation and Improvement of Tax Increment Financing	SB 239	0734	Edward Buttrey	Generally revise tax increment financing districts	Chapter Number Assigned
2010-22	Technology Districts	---	0735	Edward Buttrey	Allow Montana businesses to participate in technology districts	Draft Died in Process*
2012-01	Automatic Re-Registration of Absentee Ballots	HB 510	0496	Pat Ingraham	Eliminate requirement for annual absentee forms	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-02	Board of Adjustment Appeals	---	---	---	---	---
2012-03	Commissioner District Redistricting	HB 164	1413	Amanda Curtis	Revise county commissioner district laws related to time periods	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-04	County Elected Official Vacancies	SB 132	1172	Greg Jergeson	Revise statutory dates related to filling mid-term county elected office	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-05	EMS Council Run Review	---	---	---	---	---
2012-06	Equipment Auction Limits	HB 371	1286	Pat Ingraham	Revise county public auction laws	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-07	Fuel Tax Bid Limits	HB 194	1145	Pat Ingraham	Revise gasoline and vehicle fuel tax fund laws	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-08	Interim Appointments	HB 193	1055	Roger Hagan	Authorize interim appointments of county elected officials	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-09	Justice Court Filing Fees	HB 206	1064	Kelly Flynn	Increase justice court filing fees	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-10	Legal Holidays	HB 325	0736	Keith Regier	Revising local government legal holiday laws	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-11	Livestock Assessment Date	SB 72	0724	Debby Barrett	Revise the livestock per-capita assessment date	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-12	Medical Marijuana Ordinance Authority	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Bill not needed--current law stands.
2012-13	MT Land Information Act Funding	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Not going forward.
2012-14	Noxious Weed Act Compliance	SB 301	1315	Terry Murphy	Revise noxious weed laws	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-15	Open Cut Permit Fees	SB 234	0915	Jim Peterson	Provisional permits for gravel pits	(S) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal*
		SB 332	1261	Bruce Tutvedt	Generally revise open-cut laws	Chapter Number Assigned
		Replacement for SB 234, Provisional permits for gravel pits (Jim Peterson)				Chapter Number Assigned
2012-16	Overweight Permit Fees	HB 216	1104	Alan Doane	Revise laws related to distribution of overweight and oversize permit fees	(S) Died in Standing Committee*
2012-17	Public Safety Communications System	---	1296	Steve Lavin	Revise public safety communication laws	Draft Died in Process*
2012-18	School Zone Speed Limits	SB 161	1353	Mitch Tropila	Revise school zone speeding laws for state highways	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-19	Special Use Fuel Permit Bond	SB 116	0156	Ron Arthun	Revise special fuel user permit requirements on local government projects	Chapter Number Assigned
2012-20	State Agency Coordination	HB 326	0441	Kelly Flynn	Require state coordination with local governments when requested	(H) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal*
2012-EC1 (Exec-Comm. Approved)	Publication Notice	HB 258	1523	Bridget Smith	Revise local government laws related to public notice	Chapter Number Assigned

* after a status indicates the bill is probably dead:"Probably Dead" is a Bill Progress Category and is assigned to those bills that have been voted down or missed a transmittal deadline and to those bill drafts that have been canceled. To revive a bill that is "probably dead" typically requires a supermajority vote (usually a 2/3 vote) by the House or Senate.

Interim Meetings & Updates

July 25, 2014

Water Policy: CSKT Compact Technical Working Group Meeting

August 26, 2014

CFHHS Interim Committee Meeting

September 03, 2014

Law & Justice Interim Committee Meeting

Legislative Fiscal Division's Chart - Digital Academy

Posted Date: July 2, 2014

This week's chart created by the Legislative Fiscal Division is on the Montana Digital Academy. The chart shows the number of students that enrolled and completed courses through the Montana Digital Academy. To see the chart, follow the link below.

New Report: A Citizen's Guide to Montana Energy Law

Posted Date: June 26, 2014

Contact: Sonja Nowakowski, ETIC Staff

The Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee (ETIC) has just completed a publication to assist the public in learning about energy issues in Montana.

Legislative Fiscal Division's Chart - K-12 Graduation Rates

Posted Date: June 25, 2014

This week's chart from the Legislative Fiscal Division shows K-12 graduation rates for Montana and on the national level. The formula used to calculate the graduation rate in Montana changed in 2011, so the line for Montana shows a break to further depict that change. To see the chart, follow the link below.

Legislative Fiscal Division's Chart - K-12 Enrollments

Posted Date: June 18, 2014

This week's chart shows Montana student enrollment in kindergarden-high school. The amounts include public, private and home school enrollments. To see the chart, follow the link below.

Legislative Fiscal Division's Chart - 4-Year Post-Secondary Tuition Fees

Posted Date: June 11, 2014

This week's chart shows the average tuition and mandatory fees per semester for full-time equivalent students (lower division) at 4 year post-secondary institutions in Montana. To see the chart, follow the link below.

Current Fire Info

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Contact Legislators

Legislative Information & Message Office: (406) 444-4800
Senate
Fax: (406) 444-4875
P.O. Box 200500
Helena, MT 59620-0500
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House of Representatives
Fax: (406) 444-4825
P.O. Box 200400
Helena, MT 59620-0400
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Full Legislative Roster

Featured Content

Request for Proposals: Coordinator of Jail Standards

Posted Date:

July 11, 2014

Contact:

Jim Muskovich, MACo JPA/JPIA Loss Control Specialist

The Montana Association of Counties is requesting proposals from qualified entities or individuals coordinate activities associated with the Montana Jail Standards in an advisory function. Compensation for the position will be commensurate with the proposer’s qualifications, experience, and education.

2014 MACo Annual Conference

Venue/Location

Hilton Garden Inn
1840 U.S. Highway 93 S
Kalispell, MT

Start Date

September 21, 2014

End Date

September 25, 2014

September 21-25, 2014

8 weeks 3 days from now

Draft Agenda | Registration | Floor Plan

MACo's 105th Annual Conference will be held from September 21, 2014 through September 25, 2014 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell, MT.

2013-2014 MACo Committees & Members

MACo committee assignments for 2013-2014.

Order Your 2014 MACo Directory Here

Order Online | Download Directory Form

The 2014 Montana Association of Counties Directory of County Officials is available at a cost of just $15.00. You can order your copy today by purchasing it online, calling our office, or filling out an order form and sending it to us!

Inmate Medical Program

Are inmate medical costs draining your county budgets?

MACo is proud to partner with NACo and Correctional Risk Services (CRS) to offer two programs to help Montana counties contain the costs of medical care for county inmates. Enroll Today!

MACo Associate Member Program

A Partnership With Montana Counties

The MACo Associate Member Program is a program designed for companies and organizations who want to have a direct relationship with county elected officials in Montana’s 56 counties.

Current Issue of MACo News

July 2014

MACo News: Volume 43, No. 7

IN THIS ISSUE: In this issue, read the highlights from MACo's Property & Liabilty Trust and Workers' Compensation Trust 2014-2015 renewals; get the registration information and additional details for MACo's upcoming 105th Annual Conference; learn more about the recent graduates who were awarded the MACo President's Scholarships; find out seven ways to keep your tablet secure; be "in the know" about what is occurring on the national level with news from NACo, and more!

Read This Issue

Previous Issues

June 2014

May 2014

April 2014

Recent County, State & National News

New Report: A Citizen's Guide to Montana Energy Law

Posted Date: June 26, 2014

The Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee (ETIC) has just completed a publication to assist the public in learning about energy issues in Montana.