Archives West Finding Aid

The Montana State Legislature is made up of two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Constitution of Montana limits the size of the Senate to no fewer than 40 and no more than 50 members and the size of the House of Representatives to no fewer than 80 and no more than 100 members. Each house is responsible for choosing its officers, creating committees and establishing its own rules. The Montana Legislature meets for 90 days every odd numbered year, beginning the first Monday in January, or the following Wednesday if the first Monday is New Years Day. The first State Legislature convened on November 23, 1889, fifteen days after Montana became a state. Each following Legislature has been numbered sequentially.

The 62nd Montana Legislature met from January 3rd to April 28th, 2011. There were 16 standing committees in the Senate and 16 standing committees in the House, as designated by the 2013 Rules. The leaders of the Senate were Jim Peterson (President), Bruce Tutvedt (President Pro Tempore), Jeff Essmann (Majority Leader), Taylor Brown and Chas Vincent (Majority Whips), Carol Williams (Minority Leader), and Kim Gillan (Minority Whip). The leaders of the House were Mike Milburn (Speaker), Janna Taylor (Speaker Pro Tempore), Tom McGillvray (Majority Leader), Gerald Bennett, Keith Regier, Cary Smith and Wendy Warburton (Majority Whips), Jon Sesso (Minority Leader), Chuck Hunter and Margaret MacDonald (Minority Whips), and Betsy Hands (Minority Caucus Leader). The transmittal dates were February 24th, March 17th, 25th and 30th, and April 1st, 11th, 13th and 20th.

Sources:Montana State Legislature Session Information ;The Constitution of the State of Montana as adopted by the Constitutional Convention March 22, 1972, and as ratified by the people, June 6, 1972, referendum no. 68, "A GUIDE TO THE MONTANA LEGISLATURE," The Montana Legislature,; “Montana Legislative Leadership 1889 – Present”.