HELENA – Lawmakers decided Tuesday in a very close vote that they will not ask voters for annual legislative sessions, as the idea drew opposition from both parties.
The proposal would have changed the Montana Constitution to allow two shorter annual sessions instead of the 90-day session every other year. But the results of Tuesday’s House vote left the measure just short of the two-thirds support needed in the full Legislature to place a constitutional change on the ballot.
Proponents argued that shorter annual sessions would allow more people to serve as legislators, and help new lawmakers become familiar with the process.
House Republican Floor Leader Scott Mendenhall said annual sessions would strengthen the role the Legislature plays in state government, allowing it to keep closer tabs on agencies and the governor.
“I think the Legislature has become the weakened branch to the executive, in particular, and also to the lobbyists,” Mendenhall said in the floor debate the took place Monday. “We are the closest to the people, and so we should be the strongest.”
But opponents argued it would cost more money and put the state one step closer to a full-time Legislature.
“I believe we are asking the people to accrue a large cost in the legislative expense without having thought through what that expense is,” said Rep. Brady Wiseman, D-Bozeman.
The proposal would have set up a short session one year to deal with budget matters and another short session the following year to deal with all other issues.
Senate Bill 348 received 58 “yes” votes in the 100-seat House Tuesday morning, four short of the 100 needed to reach two-thirds support from the full Legislature. It had previously received 38 votes of support out of the 50-seat Senate.
Tuesday was the 2009 Legislature’s 90th and final day.