The Session Montana Public Radio, Montana Free Press, Yellowstone Public Radio

The 67th session of the Montana Legislature adjourned sine die Thursday, April 29. 
During lawmakers’ 80 days of work, 1,313 bills were introduced and as of mid-day Friday at least 302 had been signed into law. 
In the final episode of The Session, Reporters from Montana Free Press, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Public Radio break down the outcomes.

As of mid-day Friday, 1,313  bills have been introduced and at least 267 have been signed into law.
This week we’re watching how the Republican majority is spending their mandate from voters as the session is winding down and last-minute legislation. 
Committee chairs and legislative leaders have said this may be the final week of the 67th session of the Montana Legislature. Big pieces of policy remain on the table, like the state budget, how lawmakers will divvy up federal coronavirus relief funds, the regulatory and tax mechanism for recreational marijuana, and GOP priorities with social policy and tax cuts.

As of mid-day Friday, 1,297 bills have been introduced and at least 197 have been signed into law.

This week we’re watching a mounting dispute over separation of powers between the Legislature and the Montana Supreme Court. We’re also watching the debate on a bill that would incentivize the state’s largest utility to buy more of the Colstrip coal-fired power plant.

As of mid-day Friday, 1,282 bills had been introduced and at least 153 had been signed into law.
This week we’re watching the ideological split within the GOP over adult-use marijuana taxes, proposed changes to social safety net eligibility and parental rights.

As of mid-day Friday, 1,271  bills had been introduced and at least 135 had been signed into law.
Major questions remain over new taxes cuts, funding state agencies, what to do with federal stimulus and recreational marijuana. Much of this work is under a Thursday deadline for appropriation and revenue bills, including regulations for marijuana, to move from one chamber to the other.
The federal stimulus in the American Rescue Plan Act has given lawmakers a lot more money to work with this session. Legislators are making plans for how to spend more than $2 billion in a bill nicknamed ‘the beast,’ which has passed the House and is now in the Senate.

As of mid-day Friday, 1,237  bills had been introduced and at least 74 had been signed into law. We’re hitting the time of the session when more are on the way.
This week we’re watching the legal marijuana bill take shape, lawmakers consider the former governor’s district court judge nominees and proposals to change elections in the state.