HELENA — Things were significantly quieter at the Montana State Capitol Friday than they have been, as lawmakers were on their way home for a weeklong break after reaching the first major deadline of the Legislature’s 69th session.
(Watch the video to see the work lawmakers did ahead of the transmittal deadline.)
Friday was the 48th day of the 90-day session, and the transmittal deadline for general bills – the day bills that don’t spend money or affect state revenues have to pass either the House or Senate to stay alive. On Thursday night, the Senate suspended their rules so they could take preliminary and final votes the same day on their last batch of general bills. The House returned Friday at 8 a.m., with a lengthy final agenda of their own.
“Order of business No. 8: third reading of bills – and here we go,” House Speaker Rep. Brandon Ler, R-Savage, said to laughter as lawmakers began voting Wednesday.
All together, representatives spent more than an hour taking final votes – yea or nay, with no debate – on 147 bills. When House chief clerk Carolyn Tschida announced, “That is all, Mr. Speaker,” after the final bill, lawmakers applauded.
Republicans hold the majority of seats in both the House and the Senate. House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls, told MTN he was pleased with the progress they were able to make in the first half of the session – advancing bills on issues like property tax reforms, permitting changes to respond to the Montana Supreme Court’s Held decision, and what Fitzpatrick called “conservative social issues.”
“I'm proud of our caucus, I'm proud of the work the House has done as a whole, I'm proud of the way we've conducted ourselves,” he said. “I think we've run a Legislature where we've been able to come in and debate the hottest controversial topics of the day, and we've done it in a way that I feel is respectful.”
At a news conference after the House adjourned Friday, House Minority Leader Rep. Katie Sullivan, D-Missoula, said she felt the majority had put too much emphasis on those social issues. Still, she said she was proud of areas where her members were able to work with Republicans to advance their priorities, including property tax proposals, education funding bills and – in perhaps the most prominent example – the bill renewing Montana’s Medicaid expansion program.
“It's never been lost on us that our time here is precious,” Sullivan said. “We only have 90 days, we're halfway done, and we're just going to continue drilling down on affordability and taxes for people.”
Sullivan said she was disappointed that the House didn’t advance Democratic bills like a minimum wage increase, a “right-to-repair bill,” and a series of legislation aimed at supporting renters.
Fitzpatrick said Republican leaders had hoped to advance a school choice bill that would have allowed a state account to collect private donations to pay for educational expenses outside the public school system, but overall, he said most of their priorities that didn’t move forward were “minor disappointments.”
The week before the transmittal deadline generally sees the greatest volume of bills debated at the Legislature, but the second half features some of the most significant bills – including House Bill 2, the main state budget bill. This year, property tax and income tax cuts will also be major topics in the remainder of the session.
“The heavy work really begins when we come back,” said Fitzpatrick.
The Senate is set to return briefly next Friday, March 14, and then continue their work in earnest on Saturday, March 15. The House will be on break until Monday, March 17.
