The Montana Legislature, which meets for 90 days every odd-numbered year at the state Capitol in Helena, is comprised of 150 Legislators--broken down to 50 Senate seats and 100 House seats.
The 2025 legislative session began in early January and ran through April (90 legislative days). The Legislature’s primary duty is to pass a balanced budget, building on the Governor’s proposed budget. Additionally, the legislature works to pass laws that impact the daily lives of Montanans on issues including the environment, reproductive and sexual health, taxes, 2S-LGBTQIA+ rights, and more.
As a “citizen’s legislature,” Montana’s legislators should come from and reflect hard-working, everyday Montanans, and this also means that it is your legislature too. We can all participate in our electoral process and voice our opinions on what matters to us.
The Montana Senate is the upper chamber of Montana’s bicameral (two-tiered) legislature featuring 50 senators from across Montana. The Montana House of Representatives is the lower house of Montana’s bicameral (two-tiered) legislature featuring 100 Representatives from across Montana.
Use the Legislative District lookup tool to find your Montana state Senator and Representative.
Bills can originate from any of the following paths:
Montana’s Legislative Services Division, a non-partisan legislative agency, receives requests to draft bills, often either introducing new code (law) or amending current code, turning ideas into proper legal written documents for consideration by the legislature.
Upon drafting, the bill may collect sponsor(s), legislators committed to endorsing the bill and ushering it through the legislative process, including formally introducing it by filing it with the Chief Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate.
Once a bill is introduced, there is a long and bureaucratic process to determine what committee(s) should hear the bill, whether the bill requires additional research or public input, disagreements between the House and the Senate on the bill itself, and more—all of which can slow things down.
Advocate on the issues you are passionate about and connect with family, friends, and other community members on issues important to you and them. We are stronger together.
Use the Legislative District lookup tool to find your Montana state Senator and Representative.
Montanans are able to provide testimony remotely through zoom or written comment, as well as in-person testimony at the Helena Capitol during Committee Hearings. Find more information and the process here.
Not sure how to testify, or want help deciding what to say? Catalyst Montana, an organization that “uplifts low-income and marginalized Montanans through community organizing, policy advocacy, research, and leadership development,” can help!
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