The legislative process

We have completed week three of the legislative session with bills on the move in both houses.  

I will give a simple review of the process. Bills are drafted form requests from a legislator. Those bills are reviewed by legal and edit, then by the requesting legislator. If the bill is as the legislator wanted, they then drop in in the hopper of their body and it is given a bill number, SBxx or HBxx. The bill is then assigned to the appropriate committee by the leader of that body for a hearing. The bill hearing is scheduled by the chairman of the committee, giving three days notice for the public to attend in person or by zoom in the hearing. 

An executive action is taken usually a few days after the hearing and if passed out of committee, the bill goes to the appropriate chamber for a second reading of that body. This allows the floor debate on a bill before the vote. If the bill passes that reading on the floor, it will come back the next day to the chamber for the third reading and vote. This vote is done without debate. 

If it passes out of that chamber, it proceeds to the other body with the same process of committee hearing and vote, floor debate and vote, then third reading and vote. If it passes out of the second chamber, it then passes on to the governor for his signature or veto.   

Bills can be amended in the committees, on the floor second reading, or by the governor. If the second body,  amends a bill, it will have to go back to the first body for review of that amendment. If the governor amends a bill it will go back to both bodies for review or if vetoed it can go back for an override. 

By going on to the Montana legislative website, you can follow the prompts to follow bills, actions on those bills and how to participate in the committee hearings.   I hope this helps you understand the process and gives you some information on how to get involved. 

I did not get into the details of bills swirling around the Capitol since only one bill has made it to the governor's desk, a Memorial Bridge honoring Sgt. Arthur Rambo.   

Bills are traveling through all phases of review dealing with property tax relief, housing issues, education, Medicaid re-authorization, judicial review, substance abuse and mental health issues to name a few.    

Denley M. Loge, R-St. Regis