State Administration and Veterans' Affairs Interim Committee

SAVA Approves Committee Bills, Declines Agency Bill Requests, Changes Next Meeting to Sept. 6

Committee: State Administration and Veterans' Affairs Interim Committee
Author: Sheri Scurr
Posted on July 24, 2018


State Administration and Veterans' Affairs Interim  Committee

At its July 18, meeting, the State Administration and Veterans' Affairs Interim Committee (SAVA), approved the following two bill drafts as committee bills:

  • LCsa01 - revising provisions for filling a vacancy in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives; and
  • LCsa03 - requesting an interim legislative study on voter qualifications for all special purpose districts.

The committee requested the following two potential committee bills, which will be further considered at the committee’s next meeting:

  • LCsa04 - creating a limited administrative rule process exception for certain State Lottery policies.
  • LCsa05 - updating statutes with federal citations and laws on accessible voting technology.

The committee also requested additional research on laws in other states about public access to data about registered voters, including exact birth dates.

With respect to SAVA’s review of agency bill draft request proposals, motions to authorize  the bill draft request proposals by the Secretary of State's Office, the Commissioner of Political Practices, and the Department of Administration failed on tied votes. Therefore, the committee did not authorize bill draft requests on behalf of these agencies.  When agency bill draft requests are not authorized by an interim committee, the bill may not be designated as an agency bill.  Instead, the agency must ask an individual legislator to make the bill draft request.

Finally, the date of SAVA's next meeting was changed from Aug. 23 to Sept. 6.  Planned agenda items include:

  • final action on committee bills;
  • an informational briefing on Vet Choice II;
  • a review of agency bill draft request proposals from the following agencies:
    • PER Board;
    • TRS Board;
    • Dept. of Military Affairs; and
    • Board of Veterans' Affairs; and
  • review and approval of a draft final report on accessible technology for disabled electors and election security and a draft summary of SAVA's interim activities.

For more information, please visit SAVA's website or contact Sheri Scurr, committee staff, at
444-3596 or sscurr@mt.gov.