Committee: Legislative Council
Author: Susan Byorth Fox
Posted on September 11, 2018
The Legislative Council met in Lewistown on August 22 and 23, 2018 at the Yogo Inn. The Rules Subcommittee met and discussed potential changes to the Joint, House, and Senate Rules for the 2019 Session. The subcommittee will meet again to make recommendations, TBD. The Legislative Council traditionally makes recommendations to the Rules Committees which will meet on Tuesday, December 4, 2018.
Bill drafts were requested on behalf of the Office of Budget and Program Planning for the traditional appropriation bills (HB 2-15) and for the Feed Bill (HB 1), the Code Commissioner Bill, changes to the Legislator Constituent Services account administration, a new third-party method for determining legislator compensation, and changes to the meal reimbursement amounts to 75% of the federal rates.
The council adopted a preliminary 2020-21 Biennium Budget for the Legislative Branch which was submitted September 1. A final budget will be submitted early October once fixed rates are set. Pricing for session proceedings and for the 2018 Annotations were adopted, as was the session staff pay matrix.
The council adopted the Subcommittee on Harassment proposed “Policy Prohibiting Discrimination & Harassment” with some amendments. The policy provides a process for reporting, investigation, and discipline if a legislator were to be have a complaint lodged. The council removed the requirement for mandatory training for legislators stating that the Montana Constitution and the voters determine legislator’s qualifications. A separate policy will be adopted for the House & Senate staff, and the policy for permanent Branch staff will be updated. Training is mandatory for all staff.
The council received progress reports from Dean Lawver, Scott Sterling, and Paul Heitt-Rennie from Montana PBS and Lindsey Krywaruchka, LSD Operations Manager, on TVMT and all of the activities that have occurred in the last year with the new partnership between Montana PBS and Legislative Services Division. The council was impressed by the presentation on the rebranding of TVMT to MPAN – the Montana Public Affairs Network. Viewers will begin to see changes starting soon and the formal unveiling with be October 2018 in conjunction with the new Legislative Branch website.
The council reviewed a Records Management Policy for Legislative Services and asked for some additional work regarding email and electronic records.
Joe Kolman, Legislative Environmental Analyst, and Sonja Nowakowski, Research Director, have assisted the Council throughout this interim and they have created a story map for the council’s interim to date. The story map can be found on the council’s home page. The research staff is using story maps as one of many ideas on new and innovative tools to present information and research to legislators.
The council is expected to meet to finalize the Feed Bill and other budget items, review its proposed legislation, and make recommendations for the Rules Committees sometime during the week of caucus and legislator orientation (November 14-16, 2018).
Please note that the draft 2019 session calendar and tentative caucus, orientation, and training schedule has been posted on the 2019 Session webpage.
For more information on the council’s agenda, activities, and upcoming meeting, visit the council’s website or contact Susan Byorth Fox, council staff. The out-of-town meetings were recorded and will be posted on http:// leg.mt.gov under “Audio and Video Archives” and broadcast on Television Montana (TMVT).
Council Website
Council Staff: sfox@mt.gov or 406-444-3066
