A Guide to Montana’s Legislature

The Montana Legislature

What is it?

The Montana Legislature is a group of elected officials who make laws, decide how taxes are spent, and manage state money. It has two parts: the Senate, which has 50 members, and the House of Representatives, which has 100 members.

Half of the Senate is elected every two years, while the entire House of Representatives is elected every two years. Montana is also one of the few states that limits how long lawmakers can serve: eight years in each chamber.

There are limits to what the Legislature can do. It can’t take over the work of the Governor (Executive Branch) or the courts (Judicial Branch). This is because of the system of checks and balances, where each branch of government has its own powers and responsibilities to keep the others in check.

When is it?

A new Legislative Session begins in January of every odd-numbered year, and each session is limited to 90 working days. Because Montana's Legislature only meets for part of the year, most lawmakers have other jobs or are retired. That’s why it’s called a “citizen legislature.” Montana is one of only four states where the Legislature meets every other year — most states meet every year!

Who are your legislators?

Visit legmt.gov/districts to find out!

How Bills Become Law in Montana: Step-by-Step

1. Request and Drafting of the Bill

  • A legislator requests that a bill or resolution be drafted.

  • The bill is drafted by a research analyst or attorney, reviewed by a legal team, and then sent back to the legislator for approval.

  • The draft text is posted to Bill Explorer on the Legislative Branch website: bills.legmt.gov. An updated version is posted whenever the document is revised or amended. 

  • After final review, the bill is prepared for introduction to the Legislature.

2. Introduction of the Bill

  • The legislator who requested the bill (or another legislator with permission from the requester) formally introduces it to the Legislature.

  • The bill gets its first reading and is assigned to a committee by the Speaker of the House or Senate President.

3. Committee Hearing

  • The bill is assigned to a committee for review. The committee holds a public hearing where people can speak in favor of or against the bill.

  • The sponsor of the bill explains it, and the committee discusses whether or not it should move forward.

4. Committee Action

  • After the hearing, the committee decides whether to recommend the bill for approval or to kill it.

  • If the committee approves the bill, it moves to the next step. If not, the bill is finished for that session.

5. Second Reading and Debate

  • If the bill passes the committee, it moves to the floor for a second reading, where all lawmakers discuss it.

  • Amendments (changes) can be made, and the bill is voted on.

6. Third Reading and Final Vote

  • On the third reading, the bill is debated again and voted on. No more changes can be made at this point.

  • If the bill passes, it goes to the other chamber (either the Senate or House of Representatives) for review.

7. Review by the Other Chamber

  • The bill goes through similar steps in the second chamber: it gets a first reading, committee hearing, and votes.

  • If the second chamber makes any changes, the bill returns to the first chamber for approval of those changes.

8. Enrolling the Bill

  • Once both chambers agree on the final version of the bill, it is printed in the official form and ready to be signed.

9. The Governor’s Decision

  • The bill is sent to the Governor. If the Governor signs it, it becomes law.

  • If the Governor issues a "full veto", the bill as a whole is unilaterally stopped. The Governor can also veto part of the bill (called a "line-item veto") or suggest changes (called an "amendatory veto").

  • If the Governor doesn’t sign or veto the bill within 10 days, it automatically becomes law.

10. Override a Veto (If Needed)

  • If the Governor vetoes a bill, the Legislature can override the veto with a two-thirds vote, making the bill a law despite the veto.

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