One Nation, Under God

Rep. Mike Lang Montana Legislature Update

The 64th session of the Montana Legislature, in Helena, has been in session for a month.

As your Representative from HD 33, I serve on three House committees.

The Business and Labor Committee meets at 8 am Monday through Friday. This committee listens to proposed bills dealing with many subjects of the business world. We have or will hear bill proposals concerning regulation on insurance licenses and forms; alcohol quota and brewery licenses; employer, employer work compensation; many state agencies request to imply more regulation; many trade board

qualifications; corporate law, to name a few.

The Federal Regulation, Energy & Telecommunication (FRET) committee meets M-W-F at 3pm. I am chairman of this committee. We have or will hear testimony for or against issues like, revising or repealing Public Commission Service statutes; net metering, energy issues with oil, gas, hydro, coal, wind and solar.

The Agriculture committee meets twice a week , Tuesday and Thursday at 3pm. We have and will here about raw honey and raw milk; animal cruelty and fighting; brand inspection; livestock per capita fee;

irrigation districts and ag commodity advisory boards.

The House committees I have mentioned plus other committees on taxation, appropriations, judiciary, fish, wildlife and parks, education, local government, human services, transportation, state administration, natural resources have sister committees in the Senate. Then there are committees of similar designation that have both House and Senate members. These committees hear the bills, discuss them in executive action and recommend a do pass or table the bill.

Everyday at 1p.m. the House and the Senate have their respective floor session. This is where the bills that made it out of committee are voted on in 2nd and 3rd reading. If they pass or concur from the floor they cross over to the other side and the process repeats its self. Once a bill passes both houses, it goes on to the Governor for signing or the veto process.

I encourage you to engage in the process. You can access the legislature on the internet very easily.

Type in Montana Legislature and click find a legislator and then you can send a message; click on bills for the 2015 session and it will help you find a specific bill and it's status; click laws, committees, schedules and bills to find schedules and agendas. By clicking “Watch and Listen” you can see the committees and floor session testimony in action.

A very important thing to remember when looking at bill titles, read the bill not just the title. Like reading the headline in a news article, forming an opinion before you read the complete article, might not give the correct perspective.

There are many issues before the legislature which affect everyone. One must remember what does not affect you, could affect your neighbor and vice versa. Now and into the future.

I hear many opinions from around the state, but continue to vote my conscience for my constituents. Thanks for your support.

Find Rep. Lang at

http://www.montanahd35.com/

 

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