Public Gets Chance To Face Legislators

Constituents of Eastern Montana had a chance to speak to three legislative representatives about issues they are interested in during the upcoming legislative season.

Business owners, ranchers, school representatives and other interested parties showed at Farm Equipment Sales (FES) on Tuesday, Dec. 16, up to ask questions and get to know those who would be representing this side of the state this upcoming year. Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen, Representative Mike Lang and Senator John Brendan visited for a few hours.

During a very rare occasion an Eastern Montanan will take the seat as Speaker of the House. Knudsen, of Culbertson, was selected for the position this year and said he was gearing up to keep everyone focused on getting things done. He recently has found media attention over a dress code, but he said he hasn't really been focused on that. Issues he said to look for are infrastructure and bonding.

Eastern Montana will also have a voice in the state Senate with Senator Brendan, of Scobey, in the chair of committee of committees. Brendan has three senate bills up for discussion, most of them he said focus on clairvoyance. One of the bills focuses on republishing the state phone directory. Another focuses on the authorization of county fireworks. The last two take on some more serious issues of establishing contracting laws for conservation districts, the other would require supreme court justices, district court judges to file financial reports.

Lang, of Malta, was so busy talking to constituents that The Courier didn't have much of a chance to chat with him, but he does have a House bill up for review and revisions on railroad law. Other drafts that are on review, on hold or have been received are titled for revising agriculture commodity laws, revising grass commission laws, revising public safety communication laws, funding for the St. Mary project and generally revising the open meeting laws.

This year's legislative session starts Monday, Jan. 5. With around 2,000 bills drafted it's bound to be a busy 90 days for this session.