How laws work
From a kitchen-table idea to Montana law
Montana's Legislature is a citizen legislature. Its doors are open, its hearings take testimony from anyone, and you can speak to a committee from home.
One person can start a law
Only legislators can formally introduce bills in Montana, but the ideas come from everywhere: constituents, local governments, businesses, nonprofits, state agencies, court decisions and other states. Plenty of Montana laws started with one person writing to their legislator about a problem nobody had fixed.
Get clear on the problem
What's broken, who it hurts, and what change would fix it? A one-page summary with a real story and a few facts goes a long way. Look up whether Montana law already covers it in the Montana Code Annotated.
Find a sponsor
Start with your own legislators (find them by address), or one who serves on the committee that handles your issue. Ask them to request a bill draft.
Ask early
Legislators can request unlimited bill drafts until Dec. 5 before a session. After that, each gets only seven more. The best time to pitch a bill for the 2027 session is right now, and the summer and fall of 2028 for the 2029 session.
Build support
Line up people who'll testify, write letters and call committee members. Find a co-sponsor from the other party if you can.
Sources: A Guide to the Montana Legislature (Legislative Services Division); 2025 Joint Rule 40-40, Rules of the Montana Legislature.
How a bill moves
Remember the bill sitting on the Capitol steps? Here's how it really works in Montana.
The Legislature meets for up to 90 legislative days every odd-numbered year, starting in early January. The next regular session begins in January 2027.
The deadlines bills have to meet
Most bills have to pass the chamber they started in by the 48th legislative day (the "transmittal" deadline), or they die. Revenue bills and bills that send a question to voters get until day 67. After that, a late bill needs a two-thirds vote. The 2027 Legislature will adopt its own rules in January, so these dates can shift.
Source: 2025 Joint Rule 40-200, Rules of the Montana Legislature.
And in Congress?
Federal bills follow the same basic path, and yes, this is the one you remember from Saturday mornings.
A few things it leaves out: only a member of Congress can introduce a bill, so your path in is the same as in Helena, through your U.S. Representative or one of Montana's two Senators. Bills that don't pass both chambers by the end of the two-year Congress die and have to start over. And if the President vetoes a bill, Congress can still pass it with a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate.
Source: The Legislative Process, Congress.gov.
Want to know how the money side works? See How Budgets Work for HB 2, the state budget bill, and how counties, cities and schools set their budgets.
Committees decide most bills
Almost every bill gets its one real public hearing in a committee. Committees are small (about a dozen to twenty members), they specialize, and their vote usually decides whether a bill lives. It's the best place to show up if you can only make one hearing.
House standing committees
Agriculture · Appropriations · Business and Labor · Education · Energy, Technology and Federal Relations · Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Human Services · Judiciary · Local Government · Natural Resources · State Administration · Taxation · Transportation
Senate standing committees
Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation · Business, Labor and Economic Affairs · Education and Cultural Resources · Energy, Technology and Federal Relations · Finance and Claims · Fish and Game · Highways and Transportation · Judiciary · Local Government · Natural Resources · Public Health, Welfare and Safety · State Administration · Taxation
The budget starts in House Appropriations, which splits into six joint subcommittees with Senate Finance and Claims members: Education; General Government; Health and Human Services; Natural Resources and Transportation; Judicial Branch, Law Enforcement and Justice; and Long-Range Planning. Only House members can sponsor bills that spend money.
Fiscal notes: any bill that would change state or local revenue or spending gets a fiscal note estimating its cost. The sponsor can file a rebuttal if they think it's wrong. MCA 5-4-201
Source: 2025 House Rule H30-10 and Senate Rule S30-20; Committee Explorer for current members and schedules.
How to testify, from Helena or from home
Legislative rules require every standing committee to allow testimony, in person or remote, from supporters, opponents and informational witnesses on every bill. You don't need to be an expert or a lobbyist.
Find the hearing
Look up your bill in the Bill Explorer and check the hearing calendar. Hearings are usually posted at least three legislative days ahead.
Sign up to speak remotely
Register at participate.legmt.gov for that meeting before the deadline, and you'll get joining instructions. You can also upload written comments there even if you don't speak.
Or go in person
Sign the witness sheet with the bill number and whether you support or oppose it. Bring a copy of written testimony for each committee member, plus two for staff.
Keep it short and personal
Say your name, where you live and whether you support or oppose. Then tell them why, in your own words. A real story from your life is worth more than a page of statistics. The chair may limit time, so lead with your best point.
Hearings go in order: the sponsor opens, then supporters, then opponents, then informational witnesses, then committee questions, and the sponsor closes. The committee votes later in "executive action," which is open to watch but not to speak at. People who are paid to lobby must register with the Commissioner of Political Practices; regular citizens don't.
Sources: 2025 Joint Rule 30-05; Having Your Say in Montana's Legislative Process (2027); How to participate.
Speaking up at every other level
The Legislature runs on its own rules. Almost every other public body in Montana, from a state board down to a water district, follows the state's public participation law instead, which means public comment before a vote.
| Level | How you're heard |
|---|---|
| Congress | Committee hearings mostly feature invited witnesses. Some committees accept written statements from anyone for the hearing record, so check the hearing notice. For most people, the real channel is a call, letter or meeting with your U.S. Representative and Montana's two Senators. |
| Federal agencies | Proposed regulations are published in the Federal Register, and anyone can send written comments before the deadline, usually through regulations.gov. |
| State agencies and boards | Comment on proposed rules for at least 28 days (see agency rules). Boards like the Board of Public Education put public comment on every agenda. |
| County commission | Public comment on each agenda item before the vote, plus general comment on anything else in the county's power. Written comment goes in the record. |
| City or town council | The same rules. Ordinances need two readings at least 12 days apart, so you get two chances to speak. |
| School board | The same state rules, plus a district audience participation policy (often numbered 1441) that sets sign-up and time limits. |
| Special districts | Fire, water and sewer, conservation and other district boards hold open meetings with public comment too. Creating a district under the general special district law takes a public hearing where property owners can protest. |
Sources: House Ways and Means hearing advisory (written statements for the record); 5 U.S.C. 553; MCA 2-3-102, 2-3-103, 2-4-302, 7-5-103, 7-11-1007, 7-11-1008; Butte School District Policy 1441 (an example).
What the Governor can do
- Sign it into law.
- Do nothing, and it becomes law 10 days after delivery.
- Veto it, with written reasons.
- Amendatory veto: send it back with suggested changes. The Legislature can accept or reject them. Only once per bill.
- Line-item veto: strike individual spending items in appropriation bills only.
The Legislature can override a veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber. If it has already adjourned and the bill originally passed with two-thirds, legislators vote by mail poll within 30 days. Constitutional amendments and ballot measures never go to the Governor.
Sources: Constitution Art. VI, Sec. 10; MCA 5-4-304, 5-4-306, 5-4-307.
Between sessions
The 20 months between sessions are when much of the next session gets decided. Interim committees study issues, oversee state agencies, review agency rules and request bills for the next session. They meet in Helena (and online), they're made up of legislators from both parties, and public comment is taken at every meeting.
Current interim committees include Children, Families, Health and Human Services; Economic Affairs; Education; Energy and Technology; the Environmental Quality Council; Law and Justice; Local Government; Revenue; State Administration and Veterans' Affairs; State-Tribal Relations; Transportation; and Water Policy. Sign up to comment at participate.legmt.gov.
How rules get made at every level
Your county commission, city council and school board make decisions that touch daily life more than almost anything in Helena: roads, zoning, policing, water, libraries, property taxes and schools. Each level has its own name for a rule and its own place where the rules are written down.
| Level | Who makes the rules | What they're called | Where to read them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | Congress passes laws. Federal agencies write regulations to carry them out. | Acts of Congress; regulations | The U.S. Code; proposed and final rules in the Federal Register |
| State | The Legislature passes bills. State agencies adopt rules. | Statutes; administrative rules | The Montana Code Annotated; proposed rules in the Montana Administrative Register |
| County | The county commission | Ordinances and resolutions | The county's ordinance register and the commission minutes, which the clerk and recorder keeps |
| City or town | The city council or commission | Ordinances and resolutions | The municipal code, which many cities post online |
| Butte-Silver Bow and Anaconda-Deer Lodge | One consolidated city-county government under a charter | Ordinances and resolutions | The consolidated government's code and minutes |
| School district | The board of trustees | Board policies | The district policy manual and board minutes |
| Special districts | The district's board (fire, water and sewer, conservation and others) | Resolutions, rates and assessments | Board minutes |
Sources: 5 U.S.C. 553; MCA 2-4-302, Title 7, Ch. 5, Part 1 (ordinances, resolutions and the ordinance register), 20-3-323, 7-11-1030.
Charters: why some places can do more
Montana's Constitution gives counties and cities broad powers that courts must read generously. A county or city can go further by adopting a self-government charter, which lets it use any power the Constitution, state law or its own charter doesn't forbid. Voters have to approve a charter. Butte-Silver Bow and Anaconda-Deer Lodge each merged its city and county into one government under a charter. School districts and special districts don't adopt charters. They have only the powers state law gives them.
Sources: Montana Constitution Art. XI, Sec. 4, Sec. 5, Sec. 6.
The kinds of local decisions
Ordinances
Local laws. They have to be read and adopted at two meetings at least 12 days apart, and usually take effect 30 days later. That gives you two chances to speak. MCA 7-5-103
Resolutions
Decisions, policies, fees and budgets. These can pass in a single meeting, so watch the agenda. MCA 7-5-121
Budgets
The fiscal year starts July 1. Counties and cities hold summer budget hearings where officials must answer taxpayers' questions, and the final budget is adopted by early September. MCA 7-6-4024
School budgets and levies
School boards review the budget by Aug. 20, and any taxpayer can speak. Levies above the base budget go to voters, usually at the May school election. MCA 20-9-131
School board policies
Trustees must adopt and enforce district policies, keep a permanent record of them, and record how each trustee voted. Policies change by a board vote at a public meeting. MCA 20-3-323
Model policies
Many Montana districts build their manuals from the Montana School Boards Association's model policy manual, so the numbers often match from district to district: 1310 covers how policies get adopted, 1400 board meetings, 1401 public records and 1441 audience participation. Check your own district's version. Example: Butte
Every agenda must include time for public comment on items that aren't on the agenda, and the board must take public comment before acting on any agenda item. A local government can't act on something that wasn't on a posted agenda. MCA 2-3-103
How to look it up for your own town
Search for: swap in your own county, city or district name.
Where it usually lives:
- County: the county website's commission page (agendas, minutes, ordinances), or the clerk and recorder's office, which keeps the commission minutes. MACo's list of county websites covers all 56 counties.
- City or town: the city clerk, and the council page on the city website. Many cities post their code through a code publisher. The Montana League of Cities and Towns directory lists every city and town.
- School district: the "Board" or "School Board" tab on the district website, which usually holds agendas, minutes and the policy manual. Some districts use a meeting service such as BoardDocs. The OPI school directory has contacts for every district, and MTSBA explains how boards work.
- Special districts: ask the county clerk and recorder or the commission office which districts you live in and who keeps their minutes.
What to ask for: the meeting agenda, the full agenda packet (the background documents the board reads before it votes), approved minutes, the current budget, and the policy manual or code section that covers your issue.
Track a bill and reach your legislators
- Bill Explorer: read and follow any bill, free.
- Legislator Explorer: contact info for every legislator.
- During session: the Legislature's online message form opens on the first day, and you can leave a message for any legislator at (406) 444-4800.
- Watch hearings live or watch recordings.
- Questions? The Legislative Services Division: (406) 444-3064.
Getting ready for the 2027 session
The 70th Legislature convenes at noon on Monday, Jan. 4, 2027, in Helena. State law sets the first Monday in January of every odd-numbered year, and the Legislature's 2027 calendar counts Jan. 4 as legislative day 1. Here's a short checklist for working with it from home.
Find your two legislators
Every Montanan has one state representative and one state senator. Look yours up by address on the district map, then get their email and phone from the Legislator Explorer.
Follow your bills
Montana's old bill tracker, LAWS, has been replaced by the Bill Explorer. Look up any bill, read its text and see where it stands.
Make an account to testify remotely
Set up a free account at participate.legmt.gov before session starts. When a bill you care about gets a hearing, register for that meeting before the deadline, or upload written testimony instead.
Leave a message during session
Starting on day one, use the Legislature's online message form or call (406) 444-4800 to leave a message for any legislator.
Ask early for a bill
Legislators can request unlimited bill drafts until Dec. 5, 2026. After that, each one gets only a handful more.
Free trainings on working with the Legislature
Before and during each session, groups across Montana run free how-to sessions on reading bills, calling legislators and testifying. Each comes with its own point of view, so pick one that fits you, or start with the Legislature's own guide. The groups doing this work year-round are on Who's already doing the work.
- The Legislature itself: Having Your Say in Montana's Legislative Process (2027 edition) and the How to participate page.
- League of Women Voters of Montana: a step-by-step How to Take Action guide to setting up a participation account and submitting testimony.
- Montana Farmers Union: free advocacy workshops around the state ahead of the 2027 session, aimed at people in agriculture, with a Zoom option. KRTV coverage
- Catalyst Montana: a "Navigating the Legislature" series, in person and online. See its events page.
Sources: MCA 5-2-103; 2027 Session Calendar (draft, updated Aug. 3, 2026); How to participate; 2025 Joint Rule 40-40, Rules of the Montana Legislature. Training listings come from each group's own site or news coverage; check dates with them.
How constitutions and charters get amended
Every level of government has a founding document, or a state law that plays that role. Changing it is harder than passing an ordinance or a bill, and at the state and local level it almost always ends with a public vote.
The U.S. Constitution
Article V of the U.S. Constitution sets out every step. An amendment has to be proposed and then ratified, and each stage has two possible routes.
Proposing an amendment
By Congress: two-thirds of both the House and the Senate vote to propose it.
By a convention: if two-thirds of state legislatures (34 states) apply, Congress must call a convention to propose amendments. All 27 amendments so far were proposed by Congress.
Ratifying it
By state legislatures: three-fourths of them (38 states) approve it.
By state conventions: special conventions in three-fourths of the states approve it.
Congress picks which ratification route applies. The President has no formal role.
How a citizen pushes for one: ask your U.S. Representative and Montana's two U.S. Senators to sponsor or vote for a proposed amendment. You can also ask your state legislators to carry a resolution, because the Montana Legislature votes on ratifying amendments Congress sends out, and state legislatures are the ones that can apply for a convention.
Montana's own constitution is easier to change. The Legislature can put an amendment on the ballot with a two-thirds vote of all its members, citizens can put one there by petition, and Montana voters decide by simple majority. See Citizen Power for how a constitutional initiative works.
Sources: U.S. Constitution, Article V; National Archives, the constitutional amendment process; Montana Constitution Art. XIV, Sec. 8, Sec. 9.
Local charters and forms of government
| Level | The founding rules | How they change |
|---|---|---|
| County or city with a charter | Its self-government charter | Only by a public vote. The question gets on the ballot through an ordinance passed by the commission or council, a petition signed by 15% of registered voters, or a study commission's recommendation. |
| County or city without a charter | A form of government set by state law (for example, commission, council-mayor or commission-manager) | The same three routes, and the same public vote. Every 10 years voters also decide whether to elect a study commission to review their local government. |
| School district | No charter. State law sets how districts are organized. | Trustees change district policies by a vote at a public meeting. Bigger changes to the district itself are set by state law. |
| Special districts | No charter. Each type of district is created under its own state law. Districts formed under the general special district law (park, cemetery, mosquito control and similar) need a public hearing first where property owners can protest. | State law also sets how a district is changed or dissolved. |
Sources: Montana Constitution Art. XI, Sec. 5 and Sec. 9; MCA 7-3-103, 7-3-125, 7-3-173, 20-3-323, Title 7, Ch. 11, Part 10 (special districts).