Lawmakers ponder shorter, annual sessions

HELENA – Annual sessions, anyone?

Some 38 state senators endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment today that would ask voters to split the current 90-day, every-other-year billfest into two annual sessions. The bill now needs 62 votes in the House.

Senate Bill 348, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, would split the current biennial session into annual 45-day sessions. One session would deal solely with budget and revenue issues; the other would consider general bills.

“This will make us more effective,” said Senate Minority Leader Carol Williams, D-Missoula.

Supporters of the measure said it would make the Legislature more accessible for Montanans and would increase lawmakers' accuracy in predicting fiscal matters as well. Essmann also said it would allow for greater oversight of the executive branch during even numbered years.

Essmann said if an annual session uses fewer than 45 days, those extra days could be added to the next session.

Since SB 348 seeks to amend the state constitution, it needs the approval of two-thirds of the Legislature before it can go to voters for approval. The House still needs to vote on the bill.

The last time the Montana Legislature held annual sessions was in 1973 and 1974, but Montanans voted to go back to biennial sessions in 1974. Two later attempts at annual sessions were rejected by voters.

-by CNS correspondent Molly Priddy