The 69th Montana Legislature reached the halfway mark of their 90-day session and an important deadline. The Legislature will now take a four-day break before heading into the second half.
Policy bills that don’t generate revenue or spend money must advance from one chamber to the other by the transmittal deadline – or they die. Revenue and spending bills have a later deadline.
Lawmakers debated and voted on hundreds of bills that had piled up ahead of the halfway point.
The Legislature will now give staff the opportunity to catch up to the work lawmakers have completed.
House Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick asked them to return from their break next Friday ready to get back to work.
“When we do come back, we will be putting the pedal to the metal. We will be working six days pretty consistently all the way to the end,” Fitzpatrick said.
The second half will have a heavy focus on the state’s finances. The Legislature is constitutionally required to pass a balanced budget before they leave Helena. They’ll also decide how to approach property tax relief. A bill renewing Medicaid expansion coverage for tens of thousands of Montanans is already in front of the governor for consideration.
Lawmakers must adjourn when they hit the 90-day mark.
