Montana State Legislature

• Representative Bryce Bennett (D)
• Representative Mark Blasdel (R)
• Representative Kristin Hansen (R)
• Representative Chuck Hunter (D)--Vice Chair
• Representative Margaret (Margie) MacDonald (D) 
• Representative Gordon Vance (R)

• Senator Debby Barrett (R)
• Senator Robyn Driscoll (D)
• Senator Jeff Essmann (R)--Chair
• Senator Cliff Larsen (D)
• Senator Jon Sesso (D)
• Senator Chas V Vincent (R)

• The Interim Committee Directory 2013-2014
• Interim Committee Rules
• Legislative Council Rules of Procedures
• The Legislative Council has made its interim study assignments: Council Assignments
• Interim Committee member appointments have been made -- see individual Interim Committee pages or Appointments Chart (Updated 1/9/14).
• Interstate Appointments: NCSL CSG
• Elecontronic Communications Subcommittee

• This page contains the materials prepared for and considered by the Legislative Council in the 2013-2014 biennium on improving the Legislature .

• December 2013 Back Page article for The Interim:    The Quest for Legislative Improvement and Legislative Improvement Bibliography
• October 13, 2013 related meeting materials
  • What Do Other Legislatures Do? (Powerpoint presentation)
  • General Introduction to Comparing Legislatures: Bills and Bills Processing
  • Structure and Operations of the Nevada Legislature (Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau, Bulletin 13-03, January 2013)
  • Strategic Planning Summary
• January 8, 2014 related meeting materials:
  • Potential Goals for a Legislative Calendar - amended 1/8/14
  • Annual Sessions
    • History of Montana Annual Session Proposals - Table
    • Annual Sessions - Montana History. The Full Report
    • Other States Annual Sessions
    • Limited Sessions
  • What Do Other Legisaltures Do? Part 2: A Study of Seven Legislatures
  • Legislator Compensation
    • Montana Statutes
    • History of Legislator Salary & Per Diem Rates in Montana
    • NSCL Chart on Legislator Compensation in the States (2012)
  • Legislative Staffing - selected states (NCSL)
    • Permanent Staff
    • Session Staff
    • Total Staff During Session
  • More information on Bills
    • Bill Statistics - Regular Sessions: 1951-2013
  • Legislator Orientation and Training in Other States
• April 4, 2014 related meeting materials:
  • What do other legislatures do? Third installment
    • Survey results: Highlights
      • Part 1: Legislator Compensation
      • Part 2: Legislative Scheduleing and Calendar
    • Legislator Compensation
      • Additional compensation in other states & A Legislator Job Description and Classification
      • Legislator IT Allowance
      • A Study of Seven State Legislatures: Legislative Compensation and Living Expense Allowances
    • Leadership staffing support
    • Budget Processes in Other States:
      • Wyoming Budget Processes
      • "Shutdown Showdowns" an NCSL article
      • State experiences with Annual and Biennial Budgeting, and NCSL report
      • NCSL Tables on Budget-related practices
• Information on legislative bills and deadlines
  • Goals for a Legislative Session Calendar (amended)
• June 2014 Meeting Materials
  • What do other legislatures do? Fourth installment
    • A Study of Other Legislatures: Interim Committees (includes history of Montana's structure)
    • Appendix on 10 States
    • NSCL 1990 Survey
    • NCSL 2010 Update from 5 States

• May 16 Agenda
• Minutes with exhibits
• Draft Interim Committee Poll Results & Recommendations
• Final Poll Results, Recommendations, and Preliminary Study Outlines

• August 22-23 Agenda (Revised 8/21/13)
• August 22 Minutes Log with exhibits
• August 23 Summary Minutes of Strategic Planning Session
• Commonly Asked Questions About the Legislative Council
• Backgrounder 2013 - information on past Strategic Planning Sessions
• Ideas for Strategic Planning 2013

• October 23 Agenda (Revised 10.22.13)
• Minutes Log for October 23, 2013
• Proposed Workplan and Schedule for Legislative Council 2013-2014
• What Do Other Legislatures Do? (Powerpoint presentation) -
• General Introduction to Comparing Legislatures: Bills and Bills Processing
• Structure and Operations of the Nevada Legislature (Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau, Bulletin 13-03, January 2013)
• Strategic Planning Summary
• FY 2013 Fiscal Year End and 2015 Biennium Update Report by Legislative Finance Committee

October  25, 2013

• Draft Subpoena 
• Minutes Log for October 25 Conference Call

• Legislator Electronic Communication Subcommittee (8 a.m.).
  • Agenda
  • Minutes Log
  • Legislator Electronic Communication and Public Record/Right-to-Know Requirements: Legal Opinion
• Legislative Council Meeting (9 a.m.)
  • Full Council Agenda (revised 4.3.14)
  • Minutes Log (with Exhibits)
  • Budget information request : link to the corporation tax information which goes to the individual and corporate income tax section of the DOR biennial report; the corporation income tax section begins on page 26 of the linked 32-page section (“80” is the page number of the document).
  • What do other legislatures do? Third installment
  • Survey results: Highlights
    • Part 1: Legislator Compensation
    • Part 2: Legislative Scheduling and Calendar
  • Legislator Compensation
    • Additional compensation in other states & A Legislator Job Description and Classification
    • Legislator IT Allowance
    • A Study of Seven State Legislatures: Legislative Compensation and Living Expense Allowances
  • Leadership staffing support
  • Budget Processes in Other States:
    • Wyoming Budget Processes
    • "Shutdown Showdowns" an NCSL article
    • State experiences with Annual and Biennial Budgeting, an NCSL report
    • NCSL Tables on Budget-related practices
  • Information on legislative bills and deadlines
    • Goals for a Legislative Session Calendar (amended)
  • 2014 Legislator Training and Orientation: proposed curriculum
  • Proposed Draft Goals: orientation and training
  • Proposed orientation and training agenda: November, 2014
  • Proposed orientation and training agenda: December, 2014
  • Proposed orientation and training agenda: January, 2015

• Agenda (6/9 1 p.m., 6/10, 9 a.m.)

• Minutes Log: June 9, 2014 -- June 10, 2014

• Legislator Electronic Communication Subcommittee (6/10, 8 a.m.).
  • Agenda
  • Minutes Log
  • Email options: Pros and Cons
• Proposed 2015 Legislative Calendar - basic template
• 2014 Legislator Orientation and Training Proposed Curricula (Revised)
  • Proposed orientation and training agenda: November, 2014
  • Proposed orientation and training agenda: December, 2014
  • Proposed orientation and training agenda: January, 2015 alternate w/o December training for all
• Session Committees:
  • Overview
  • Number of Bills Assigned
  • Number of Members
  • Proposed standard standing committee procedures
• What do other legislatures do? Fourth installment
  • A Study of Other Legislatures: Interim Committees (includes history of Montana's structure)
  • Appendix on 10 States
  • NSCL 1990 Survey
  • NCSL 2010 Update from 5 States
• 2017 Biennium Legislative Branch Budget Development: Overview
• LR-127: Memo and draft bill
• Rules Subcommittee
  • Agenda
  • Minutes Log

RULES SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING - September 3, 2014

• Agenda
• Minutes Log
• 2014 Legislative Council Rule Change Table
• LC4333 - Proposed Joint Rules Bill Draft
• LC4334 - Proposed Senate Rules Bill Draft
• LC4335 - Proposed House Rules Bill Draft
• Draft Session Committee Rules of Procedure
• Electronic Devices for Legislators
  • Interim Article on "Council Seeks Comment on Limiting
    Legislator Use of Electronic Devices During Session" (July, 2014)
  • Electronic Devices Survey
  • Electronic Devices Survey Results

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING - September 4, 2014

• Agenda
• Minutes Log
• Operations plan change memo
• Information Technology Planning Council
  • Information Technology Plan (Version 3)
  • Information Technology Draft Budget
• Legislative Branch Budget
  • Interim Committees Budget Request Letters
  • Preliminary Budget Packet
• Session Staff Pay Matrix
• Permanent chamber/party staff report and costs
• Communications allowance information report
• Rules Subcommittee Report - see above for documents
• Code Commissioner
  • Cover Memo
  • Code Commission Bill Report 2014
  • LCcc15 - Code Commissioner Bill Draft Revising and clarifying the MCA
  • LR - 127 draft bill, memo

Agenda for Revenue and Transportation (RTIC) September 4 and 5, 2014

• Agenda
• Minutes Log
• Additional Rule Proposals
• Table of Committee Proposals as of 9.4.2014
• Draft Session Rules of Procedure - updated version

• Agenda
• Minutes Log
• Rules Subcommittee Proposal Table
  • Joint Rules: LC 4333
  • Senate Rules: LC 4334
  • House Rules: LC 4335
  • Member proposals
• Land transfer between Madison County and the Montana Heritage Commission
  • Legislative Council Rules of Procedure re: Land Transfer
  • Section 77-2-351, MCA.
  • Appraisal Report
  • Report: includes field work summary report, limited archaeological test excavations and evaluation in support, concurrence of state archaeologist, title commitment, MHC Notice of Public hearing, "Real Property Sales Committee Recommendation for the Sale of Virginia City Lots"
• K-12 Study Options
• Communications Allowance (August 2014)
• Permanent Staff