A Bozeman lawmaker wants to make big changes to the way the Montana Legislature does its work.
Currently, Montana legislators have just seven weeks from the time they’re elected until the legislature starts.
For newcomers it means a steep learning curve. Democrat Kathleen Williams says lawmakers could do a better job if they met after the election, just long enough to break up into committees, so they could study the issues facing the state for a full year, before holding their regular session. She’s sponsoring a bill to do that.
“I’m not calling it annual sessions," Williams explains, "I’m calling it moving the bulk of the session to even-numbered years”
Republican Kristin Hansen of Havre likes the idea.
“We strengthen ourselves as a legislature of we give ourselves a little time on the front end," she argues.
There is one hitch: Legislative staff says William’s proposal might conflict with a constitutional amendment the Montana voters approved in 1974 calling on the legislature to meet for ninety days in odd-numbered years. The House State Administration Committee is considering the matter.