Montana State Legislature

2021-2022 Economic Affairs Interim Committee

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Next Scheduled Meeting:

The committee has finished its regular work for the interim. Please see individual study and topic pages for detailed information on the committee's activities or read the final reports on its facial recognition technology, benefits cliffs, and recreational marijuana program implementation studies for a summary of the committee's work and final decisions.

Meeting Information

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Committee Staff:

Erin Sullivan, Research Analyst

Jameson Walker, Attorney

Fong Hom, Secretary

The Economic Affairs Interim Committee (EAIC) is a joint bipartisan committee of the Montana House and Senate that meets between legislative sessions. The EAIC conducts interim studies and generally reviews issues related to business, labor, and economic development. Under agency oversight, the EAIC monitors the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Labor and Industry, and Livestock, as well as the Office of the State Auditor, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, the Montana State Fund, the Division of Banking and Financial Institutions, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division, and the Cannabis Control Division.

Committee Members

SENATOR
KENNETH BOGNER (R) --Chair

REPRESENTATIVE
DEREK HARVEY (D) --Vice Chair

SENATOR
CYDNIE (CARLIE) BOLAND (D)

REPRESENTATIVE
ALICE BUCKLEY (D)

SENATOR
JASON ELLSWORTH (R)

REPRESENTATIVE
JOSH KASSMIER (R)

REPRESENTATIVE
BRANDON LER (R)

SENATOR
SHANE MORIGEAU (D)

REPRESENTATIVE
MARK NOLAND (R)

REPRESENTATIVE
KATIE SULLIVAN (D)

October 3, 2022:  Agenda- Minutes Log - Audio/ Video

September 13, 2022: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

August 16, 2022: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

July 19, 2022: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

June 15, 2022: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

June 14, 2022: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

April 20, 2022:  Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

February 10, 2022: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video 

February 9, 2022: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

December 13, 2021: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

December 9, 2021: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

November 17, 2021:  Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

September 22, 2021: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

July 22, 2021: Agenda - Minutes Log - Audio / Video

Committee Bills

LC162 (PD0001): Generally revise marijuana laws

LC163 (PD0002): Revise criminal intelligence information advisory council

LC164 (PD0019): Generally revise independent contractor laws

September 2022

The committee considered the following provisional bill drafts:

  • PD0001: An act generally revising marijuana statutes. During the SJ31 committee work session, two conceptual amendments were added to the draft. The first amendment moves the duties of the state lab for marijuana lab licensing from the Department of Public Health and Human Services to the Department of Revenue. The second amendment extends the moratorium on new licenses from 2023 to 2025. The conceptual amendments were incorporated into PD0001 - Version 2: An act generally revising marijuana statutes, and the motion to advance the draft as a committee bill passed with a 9-1 vote.
  • PD0002: An act revising the membership of the criminal intelligence information advisory council. During the HJ48 committee work session, a motion to advance the draft as a committee bill passed unanimously.
  • PD0018: An act generally revising independent contractor laws. The committee considered this version along with PD0019: An act generally revising independent contractor laws. After comparing the two versions and receiving public comment, a motion was made to advance PD0019 as a committee bill. The motion passed unanimously.

August 2022

The committee considered the following provisional bill drafts:

  • PD0001: An act generally revising marijuana statutes. The committee reviewed additional changes, requested further revisions to the draft, and will review the final version at the September meeting.
  • PD0002: An act revising the membership of the criminal intelligence information advisory council. The committee reviewed additional changes, requested further revisions to the draft based on public comment, and will review the final version at the September meeting.
  • PD0007:An act establishing the Facial Recognition for Government Use Act. The committee considered this bill draft along with PD0011. After public comment and discussion, the committee did not make a motion to move forward with this draft.
  • PD0011: An act establishing the Facial Recognition for Government Use Act. The committee considered this bill draft along with PD0007. After public comment and discussion, a motion was made to adopt this version as the committee bill, however the motion failed on a 5-5 vote.
  • PD0018: An act generally revising independent contractor laws. The committee plans to review the final version of this draft at the September meeting.

July 2022

The committee considered the following provisional bill drafts:

  • PD0001: An act generally revising marijuana statutes. The committee reviewed additional changes, requested further revisions to the draft, and will review at a future meeting.

June 2022

The committee considered the following provisional bill drafts:

  • PD1-SJ31-1: An act generally revising marijuana statutes. The committee requested further revisions to the draft and will review at a future meeting.
  • PD2-HJ48-1: An act revising the membership of the criminal intelligence information advisory council. The committee requested further revisions to the draft and will review at a future meeting.
  • PD6-HJ48-2: An act establishing the facial recognition for government use act. The committee requested further stakeholder input before moving forward with the draft.
  • PD 0016: An act generally revising employment law relating to independent contractors. The committee approved the draft to move forward as a committee bill.