Legislative Updates

The 66th Legislative Session officially came to a close on the afternoon of Thursday, April 25th, after 87 days, 3,324 bill draft requests, 1,309 introduced bills, and 270,131 Floor Votes.

The 2019 legislature passed HB 124 which allows County Commissioners to lift the agricultural covenant without subdivision review in limited situations as set forth in this article.

Week 15 of the 66th Legislative Session has officially come to a close, and the Legislature has left the Capitol yesterday afternoon for a much-needed break. The Senate will reconvene on Monday, April 22nd at 5 p.m., and the House will reconvene on Tuesday for their usual 1 p.m. floor session.

Week 14 of the 66th Legislative Session has officially come to a close, with HB 773 (Modifying entitlement share payments) being defeated on the Senate Floor, 12-38, and then indefinitely postponed, 46-4 (be sure to contact your Senators and thank them for voting NO on HB 773).

Week 13 of the 66th Legislative Session has officially come to a close, with the House and Senate working a little later than usual Friday evening to try and get the last few amended general bills transmitted to the other House before Monday, April 8th (those that don’t will be considered to have missed their transmittal deadline and died in the process).

Last night, Friday, April 5th, after the adjournment of both the House and the Senate, the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Judicial Branch, Law Enforcement, and Justice (Part D) convened at 6 p.m. for an unscheduled “work study” meeting regarding HB 773 (a bill titled “Modifying entitlement share payments”).

Week twelve of the 66th Legislative Session has almost come to a close, with the House of Representatives working until late Friday evening to try and get the last few revenue and appropriation bills, as well as bills proposing referenda, transmitted to the Senate before Monday, April 1st. They will reconvene at 9 a.m. on Saturday to continue the effort. The bills that don’t make it to the alternate House before Monday will be considered to have died in the process.

False claims appear to be a reason why the biennial state budget passed by the House last week that shifts $759,000 in Office of Public Defender costs to Montana cities and counties.

Election results could be available earlier if a bill regarding the early preparation of absentee ballots passes the Montana Legislature. Present Montana law says counting cannot commence until Election Day and that absentee ballots cannot be opened, unfolded and stacked for counting until the day before Election Day.