SENATE BILL NO. 123
INTRODUCED BY J. BOHLINGER
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT SUBMITTING TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF MONTANA AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE V, SECTION 6, OF THE MONTANA CONSTITUTION TO PROVIDE FOR ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS; LIMITING THE LENGTH OF EACH SESSION; LIMITING THE LEGISLATION THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED BY EACH LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND PROVIDING EXCEPTIONS; PROHIBITING A BILL INTRODUCED IN ONE SESSION FROM BEING CARRIED OVER TO ANY OTHER SESSION OF THAT LEGISLATURE AND PROVIDING EXCEPTIONS; AND PROVIDING A DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATE."
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Article V, section 6, of The Constitution of the State of Montana is amended to read:
"Section 6. Sessions. (1) The legislature shall meet each odd-numbered year in regular session of not more than 90
legislative days. The session in each odd-numbered year is limited to not more than 30 days and in each even-numbered
year is limited to not more than 60 days. HOWEVER, THE LEGISLATURE MAY EXPAND THE NUMBER OF DAYS
OF THE SESSION IN AN EVEN-NUMBERED ODD-NUMBERED YEAR BUT THE LENGTH OF THE SESSION IN
AN EVEN-NUMBERED YEAR, WHEN ADDED TO THE LENGTH OF A SESSION IN AN ODD-NUMBERED
YEAR WITHIN THE SAME BIENNIUM, MAY NOT EXCEED 90 DAYS EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY, AS DETERMINED BY A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE MEMBERS OF EACH HOUSE. Except as
provided in this section, the session in each odd-numbered year may consider only legislation related to revenue or
appropriations and the session in each even-numbered year may consider only general legislation not related to revenue or
appropriations. The legislature may adopt rules permitting consideration of legislation unrelated to the purpose of a
legislative session as limited by this section. A bill introduced in one session may not be carried over to any other session
of that legislature, EXCEPT AS THE LEGISLATURE MAY PROVIDE BY A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE
MEMBERS OF EACH HOUSE.
(2) Any legislature may increase the limit on the length of any subsequent session. The legislature may be convened in special sessions by the governor or at the written request of a majority of the members."
NEW SECTION. Section 2. Effective date. If approved by the electorate, this amendment is effective October 1, 2003.
NEW SECTION. Section 3. Submission to electorate. This amendment shall be submitted to the qualified electors of Montana at the general election to be held in November 2002 by printing on the ballot the full title of this act and the following:
[] FOR requiring annual legislative sessions, limited to the current 90 days in a biennium, with limitations on legislative business to be conducted.
[] AGAINST requiring annual legislative sessions, limited to the current 90 days in a biennium, with limitations on legislative business to be conducted.
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Latest Version of SB 123 (SB0123.03)
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