Montana State Legislature

2015-2016 Legislative Council

The Legislative Council is a statutory, bipartisan, legislative committee established in 1957. It provides ongoing leadership, direction, and foresight for the efficient operation and improvement of the Legislative Branch. It also is the administrative committee for the Legislative Services Division.

  • Representative Bryce Bennett (D)
  • Representative Seth Berglee (R)
  • Representative Stephanie Hess (R)
  • Representative Chuck Hunter (D)--Chair
  • Representative Austin Knudsen (R)
  • Representative Margaret (Margie) MacDonald (D) 

 

  • Senator Debby Barrett (R)--Vice Chair
  •  Senator Edward Buttrey (R)
  • Senator Robyn Driscoll (D)
  • Senator  Tom Facey (D)
  • Senator Bob Keenan (R)
  • Senator Jon Sesso (D)
  • Commonly Asked Questions About the Legislative Council - 2015
  • Legislative Finance Committee
  • Legislative Audit Committee
  • Administrative Rule Review materials
    • Legislature’s webpage on Interim Committee Rule Review Authority
    • Administrative Rule Review Process Flowchart
    • ETIC Administrative Rule Review Authority Memo
  • Interim and Administrative Committees

  • Samples from Interim and Statutory Committees:

    Children, Families, Health, and Human Services Interim Committee
    Examples of study driven briefing papers for CFHHS in re SB 405: Medicaid Expansion 
    Summary of Waiver Requests
    Third-Party Administrator RFP
    Examples of statutorily required or staff initiated reports and briefing papers regarding DPHHS Agency Oversight 
    MDC Client Status as of August 2015
    SB 423 Developments through August 2015
    SB 423 Registry Statistics

    Environmental Quality Council
    Cover letter that explains what EQC is doing.
    DNRC flowchart and spreadsheet (also for FWP and DEQ)

    Program reviews completed for September.
    DNRC Ag and Grazing
    DEQ Industrial and Energy Minerals
    FWP Wildlife Conflict Management
    Workplan
    Agency Program Reviews
    Background: As part of its statutory oversight duties, the EQC reviews programs within
    DNRC, DEQ, and DFWP (app. 0.1 FTE or 272 hours staff time each agency)


    Economic Affairs Interim Committee
    Briefing papers:
    Department of Commerce
    Governor's Office of Economic Development
    Department of Livestock Budget Issues, Tax-Fee Memo
    Department of Livestock Budget Summary
    2013-2014 Member Issues: Milk Sell-By Date and Other Milk Issues

    Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee
    Decision package for PSC program evaluation
    Work plan decision. Evaluation due in January.
    Work Plan: The committee dedicated .02 FTE to a programmatic review of railcar safety.
    The committee will hear from the Public Service Commission concerning the agency’s role in
    railcar safety. The committee may also learn more about changes made by the 2015
    Legislature with adoption of House Bill No. 61, which significantly updated railroad laws in
    Montana to clarify state and federal authority over railroads. The committee work product
    may include recommendations and legislation. Tasks that will be completed throughout the
    interim include:
    ° Agency presentation
    ° Panel discussion including railroad industry
    ° Bibliography of related materials, including audits, fiscal analysis, and court decisions

    Water Policy Interim Committee
    Programs for possible evaluation
    Water Protection Bureau Evaluation
    Workplan
    Decision: The WPIC will dedicate 0.1 FTE toward program evaluation of executive branch program under its statutory oversight. The WPIC and its staff: 
    • Shall provide a summary of each executive branch program, including recent fiscal analyses, audits, and emerging issues 
    • Shall coordinate an overview presentation from each executive branch program 
    • May coordinate a panel of the regulated community 
    • Provide limited follow up focused on the subunits from selected executive branch programs 
    • Include information that may be identified by the criteria in 5-5-215(c) (Sept. 3, 2015)

     

 

10:30 a.m.
Room 137

Agenda

Minutes Log (with Exhibits)

Cover Memo

Interim activities and Interstate Opportunities Memo

Request for Approval for Training or Conference Funds

NCSL and CSG Committee REcommendation Forms

  • Agenda
  • Minutes Log and Notes from Strategic Planning Retreat
  • Backgrounder on Previous Legislative Council Strategic Planning Sessions
  • July 21, 2015 memorandum re Operating Plan Change, Fiscal Year 2015
  • August 13, 2015 memorandum re Transfer of Reverted Feed Bill Appropriations
  • Agenda
  • Minutes Log (with Exhibits)
  • 351 Land Transfer to City of Hamilton by Dept. of Military Affairs
  • Session Prep
    • Proposed legislation
      • LC260 - Revising legislative polling procedures concerning administrative rules
      • LC261 - Revising the amount of legislator compensation
      • LC0262 - Code Commissioner Bill
    • TVMT Update - draft language: LCLC03 - Revising laws related to the legislative broadcasting services
    • Legislative Space - draft language: LCLC04 - Revising laws regarding legislative space
  • Budget items
  • Rules Subcommittee Meeting Materials
    • Table of Legislative Rules Proposals
    • LC5335 - Joint Rules draft language
    • LC5336 - Senate Rules draft language
    • LC5337 - House Rules draft language
    • LC9753 - Draft language on requiring interim committees and the environmental quality council to adopt rules that allow voting by proxy
  • Representative Bryce Bennett (D)
  • Representative Seth Berglee (R)
  • Representative Stephanie Hess (R)
  • Representative Chuck Hunter (D)--Chair
  • Representative Austin Knudsen (R)
  • Representative Margaret (Margie) MacDonald (D) 

 

  • Senator Debby Barrett (R)--Vice Chair
  •  Senator Edward Buttrey (R)
  • Senator Robyn Driscoll (D)
  • Senator  Tom Facey (D)
  • Senator Bob Keenan (R)
  • Senator Jon Sesso (D)
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