Children, Families, Health, and Human Services Interim Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The Children, Families, Health, and Human Services Interim Committee (CFHHS) is a partisan committee of the Legislature that conducts interim studies related to health and human services. The committee also provides administration rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and oversight for the Department of Public Health and Human Services” (committee website).
“Children, families, health, and human services interim committee. The children, families, health, and human services interim committee has administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and monitoring functions for the department of public health and human services and the entities attached to the department for administrative purposes” (MCA 5-5-225).
Criminal Justice Oversight Council #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The Criminal Justice Oversight Council (CJOC) is an interbranch body with members from all three branches of government, including legislators, Department of Corrections leadership, and criminal justice stakeholders appointed by the Montana Supreme Court, the Attorney General, and the Governor. CJOC oversees implementation of criminal justice legislation, including justice reinvestment, in Montana” (committee website).
“(4) The council shall:
- “(a) review the recommendations of the commission on sentencing established in Chapter 343, Laws of 2015;
- “(b) receive and analyze data collected by agencies and entities charged with implementing the recommendations of the commission on sentencing and that are collecting data during the implementation and management of specific recommendations;
- “(c) assess outcomes from the recommendations the commission on sentencing has made and corresponding criminal justice reforms; and
- “(d) request, receive, and review data and report on performance outcome data relating to criminal justice reform.
“(5) Data evaluation performed by the council must:
- “(a) assess the current electronic records utilized by criminal justice agencies;
- “(b) review and list all variables collected in each agency’s information management system;
- “(c) establish a baseline for historical data comparisons;
- “(d) determine whether data is linked to specific offenders through a unique identifying factor;
- “(e) review archival data and agencies’ data retention policies;
- “(f) determine whether presentence investigation reports are completed electronically in the department of corrections’ case management system within established statutory timelines;
- “(g) review any established data protocols for pretrial services;
- “(h) assess if the data collected or recommended to be collected on offenders and programs will provide criminal justice agencies, the legislature, and the public adequate information to determine whether correctional programs produce standardized outcomes across the state and are an efficient use of state resources; and
- “(i) review and suggest improvements for behavioral health screening instruments and other screening instruments as needed to ensure the integrity of data that is captured in criminal justice agencies’ information management systems.
“(6) The council shall examine the feasibility of creating and maintaining a public portal through which criminal justice data can be accessed, including data on court case filings, correctional populations, and historical and legacy data sets.
“(7) The council shall submit a report to the governor and legislature, as provided in 5-11-210. The report must include:
- “(a) a description of the council’s proceedings since the previous report;
- “(b) a summary of savings from criminal justice reforms and recommendations for how the savings should be reinvested to reduce recidivism;
- “(c) a description of performance measures and outcomes related to criminal justice reforms; and
- “(d) a narrative of the council’s progress on establishing data collection and uniformity standards and any changes that have been implemented as a result of the council’s work.
“(8) The council may appoint a working group to track any legislation resulting from criminal justice reforms and to perform other detailed analysis as directed by the council. If appointed, the working group shall meet regularly and report to the council as the council requires. The working group may include representatives of criminal justice agencies and key constituencies that are not members of the council.
“(9) Using the process established in legislative rules for executive agency legislative requests, the council may request legislation to enact changes to the state’s criminal justice system that the council finds necessary.
“(10) The judicial branch, the department of corrections, the department of public health and human services, the board of pardons and parole, and the legislative services and fiscal divisions shall provide data and information as requested by the council” (MCA 53-1-2016).
Economic Affairs Interim Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The Economic Affairs Interim Committee (EAIC) is a partisan committee of the Legislature that conducts interim studies related to business, labor, and economic development. The committee also provides administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and oversight for the Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Department of Commerce, the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), the Department of Livestock (MDOL), the Office of the State Auditor and Insurance Commissioner, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the Montana State Fund, the Division of Banking and Financial Institutions (DBFI), and the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division and the Cannabis Control Division within the Department of Revenue (DOR)” (committee website).
“Economic affairs interim committee.
- “The economic affairs interim committee has administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and monitoring functions for the following executive branch agencies and the entities attached to agencies for administrative purposes:
- “(a) department of agriculture;
- “(b) department of commerce;
- “(c) department of labor and industry;
- “(d) department of livestock;
- “(e) office of the state auditor and insurance commissioner;
- “(f) office of economic development;
- “(g) the state compensation insurance fund provided for in 39-71-2313, including the board of directors of the state compensation insurance fund established in 2-15-1019;
- “(h) the division of banking and financial institutions provided for in 32-1-211; and
- “(i) the divisions of the department of revenue that administer the Montana Alcoholic Beverage Code and the Montana Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act.
- “The state compensation insurance fund shall annually provide to the committee a report in accordance with 5-11-210 on its budget as approved by the state compensation insurance fund board of directors” (MCA 5-5-223).
Education Interim Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The Education Interim Committee (EDIC) is a partisan committee of the Legislature that conducts interim studies related to education. The committee also provides administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and oversight for the Board of Public Education (BPE), the Office of Public Instruction (OPI), the Board of Regents of Higher Education (BOR), the Montana Historical Society (MHS), the Montana Arts Council (MAC), and the Montana State Library (MSL)” (committee website).
“Education interim committee. The education interim committee has administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and monitoring functions for the following executive branch agencies and the entities attached to agencies for administrative purposes:
- “state board of education;
- “board of public education;
- “board of regents of higher education; and
- “office of public instruction” (MCA 5-5-224).
Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee (ETIC) is a partisan committee of the Legislature that conducts interim studies as assigned. The committee also provides administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and oversight for the Department of Service Regulation (DPSR) and the Public Service Commission (PSC)” (committee website).
“Energy and telecommunications interim committee. The energy and telecommunications interim committee has administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and monitoring functions for the department of public service regulation and the public service commission” (MCA 5-5-230).
Law and Justice Interim Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The Law and Justice Interim Committee (LJIC) is a partisan committee of the Legislature that conducts interim studies related to law and justice topics. The committee also provides administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and oversight for the Department of Corrections (DOC), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Office of State Public Defender (OPD). LJIC also serves as the liaison to the Judicial Branch of Montana” (committee website).
“Law and justice interim committee. The law and justice interim committee has administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and monitoring functions for the office of state public defender, the department of corrections, the department of justice except for the motor vehicle division pursuant to 5-5-233, and the entities attached to the departments for administrative purposes. The committee shall act as a liaison with the judiciary” (MCA 5-5-226).
Local Government Interim Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The Local Government Interim Committee (LGIC) acts as a liaison between the state and local governments, provides a forum for discussing state oversight of local functions and intergovernmental cooperation, promotes effective local government regulations, and identifies desirable practices to promote effective and fair relationships between individual local governments and local governments and the state” (committee website).
“Local government interim committee. There is a local government interim committee. The committee is treated as an interim committee for the purposes of 5-5-211 through 5-5-214. The local government interim committee shall:
- “act as a liaison with local governments;
- “promote and strengthen local government through recognition of the principle that strong communities with effective, democratic governmental institutions are one of the best assurances of a strong Montana;
- “bring together representatives of state and local government for consideration of common problems;
- “provide a forum for discussing state oversight of local functions, realistic local autonomy, and intergovernmental cooperation;
- “identify and promote the most desirable allocation of state and local government functions, responsibilities, and revenue;
- “promote concise, consistent, and uniform regulation for local government;
- “coordinate and simplify laws, rules, and administrative practices in order to achieve more orderly and less competitive fiscal and administrative relationships between and among state and local governments;
- “review state mandates to local governments that are subject to 1-2-112 and 1-2-114 through 1-2-116;
- “make recommendations to the legislature, executive branch agencies, and local governing bodies concerning:
- “(a) changes in statutes, rules, ordinances, and resolutions that will provide concise, consistent, and uniform guidance and regulations for local government;
- “(b) changes in tax laws that will achieve more orderly and less competitive fiscal relationships between levels of government;
- “(c) methods of coordinating and simplifying competitive practices to achieve more orderly administrative relationships among levels of government; and
- “(d) training programs and technical assistance for local government officers and employees that will promote effectiveness and efficiency in local government;
- “conduct interim studies as assigned pursuant to 5-5-217; and
- “provide recommendations and a report, if one is written, in accordance with 5-5-216 for studies completed by the committee” (MCA 5-5-232).
Revenue Interim Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The Revenue Interim Committee (RIC) is a partisan committee of the Legislature that conducts interim studies as assigned. The committee also provides administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and monitoring responsibilities for the Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) and the Montana Tax Appeal Board. The committee also has revenue monitoring and estimating responsibilities and must prepare a revenue estimate for introduction before each regular legislative session” (committee website).
“Revenue interim committee — powers and duties — revenue estimating and use of estimates.
- “The revenue interim committee has administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and monitoring functions for the Montana tax appeal board established in 2-15-1015 and for the department of revenue and the entities attached to the department for administrative purposes, except the divisions of the department that administer the Montana Alcoholic Beverage Code and the Montana Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act.
- “(a) The committee must have prepared by December 1 for introduction during each regular session of the legislature in which a revenue bill is under consideration an estimate of the amount of revenue projected to be available for legislative appropriation.
- (b) The committee may prepare for introduction during a special session of the legislature in which a revenue bill or an appropriation bill is under consideration an estimate of the amount of projected revenue. The revenue estimate is considered a subject specified in the call of a special session under 5-3-101.
- “The committee’s estimate, as introduced in the legislature, constitutes the legislature’s current revenue estimate until amended or until final adoption of the estimate by both houses. It is intended that the legislature’s estimates and the assumptions underlying the estimates will be used by all agencies with responsibilities for estimating revenue or costs, including the preparation of fiscal notes.
- “The legislative services division shall provide staff assistance to the committee. The committee may request the assistance of the staffs of the office of the legislative fiscal analyst, the legislative auditor, the department of revenue, and any other agency that has information regarding any of the tax or revenue bases of the state.
- “The committee shall review tax credits as provided in 15-30-2303” (MCA 5-5-227).
State Administration and Veterans’ Affairs Interim Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The State Administration and Veterans’ Affairs Interim Committee (SAVA) is a partisan committee of the Legislature that conducts interim studies as assigned. The committee also provides administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and oversight for the Department of Administration (DOA), Montana Public Employee Retirement Administration (MPERA), Montana Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), Montana Board of Investments, Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Montana Veterans Affairs Division (Montana VA), Office of the Secretary of State, and Office of the Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP)” (committee website).
“State administration and veterans’ affairs interim committee.
- “The state administration and veterans’ affairs interim committee has administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and monitoring functions for the public employee retirement plans and for the following executive branch agencies and, unless otherwise assigned by law, the entities attached to the agencies for administrative purposes:
- “(a) department of administration, except:
- “(i) the state compensation insurance fund provided for in 39-71-2313, including the board of directors of the state compensation insurance fund established in 2-15-1019;
- “(ii) the Montana tax appeal board established in 2-15-1015;
- “(iii) the division of banking and financial institutions; and
- “(iv) the office of state public defender;
- “(b) department of military affairs; and
- “(c) office of the secretary of state.
- “(a) department of administration, except:
- “The committee shall:
- “(a) consider the actuarial and fiscal soundness of the state’s public employee retirement systems, based on reports from the teachers’ retirement board, the public employees’ retirement board, and the board of investments, and study and evaluate the equity and benefit structure of the state’s public employee retirement systems;
- “(b) establish principles of sound fiscal and public policy as guidelines;
- “(c) as necessary, develop legislation to keep the retirement systems consistent with sound policy principles; and
- “(d) publish, for legislators’ use, information on the public employee retirement systems that the committee considers will be valuable to legislators when considering retirement legislation.
- “The committee may:
- “(a) specify the date by which retirement board proposals affecting a retirement system must be submitted to the committee for the review pursuant to subsection (1); and
- “(b) request personnel from state agencies, including boards, political subdivisions, and the state public employee retirement systems, to furnish any information and render any assistance that the committee may request” (MCA 5-5-228).
State-Tribal Relations Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The State-Tribal Relations Committee (STRC) acts as a liaison with tribal governments in Montana, encourages state-tribal and local government-tribal cooperation, and conducts interim studies as assigned. The committee may also propose legislation and report its activities, findings, or recommendations to the Legislature. STRC is the only bipartisan committee of the Legislature, and has a total of 10 appointed legislative members” (committee website).
“State-tribal relations committee. There is a state-tribal relations committee. The committee is treated as an interim committee for the purposes of 5-5-211 through 5-5-214. The committee shall:
- “act as a liaison with tribal governments;
- “encourage state-tribal and local government-tribal cooperation;
- “conduct interim studies as assigned pursuant to 5-5-217; and
- “provide recommendations and a report, if one is written, in accordance with 5-5-216 for studies completed by the committee” (MCA 5-5-229).
Transportation Interim Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The Transportation Interim Committee (TIC) is a partisan committee of the Legislature that conducts interim studies as assigned. The committee also provides administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and oversight for the Department of Transportation (MDT) and the Motor Vehicles Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ MVD)” (committee website).
“Transportation interim committee. The transportation interim committee has administrative rule review, draft legislation review, program evaluation, and monitoring functions for the department of transportation, the motor vehicle division of the department of justice, and the entities attached to the department of transportation for administrative purposes” (MCA 5-5-233).
Water Policy Interim Committee #
Website #
Membership; studies; legislation; and meeting agenda, minutes, and audio/video available on website.
Purpose/Jurisdiction #
“The Water Policy Interim Committee (WPIC) is a partisan committee of the Legislature that analyzes and advises the Legislature on the adequacy of the state’s water policy and on important state, regional, national, and international developments that affect Montana’s water resources. WPIC has a total of 10 legislative members” (committee website).
“Water policy interim committee duties.
- “The water policy interim committee established in 5-5-231 shall meet as often as necessary, including during the interim between sessions, to perform the duties specified within this section.
- “On a continuing basis, the water policy interim committee may:
- “(a) advise the legislature on the adequacy of the state’s water policy and on important state, regional, national, and international developments that affect Montana’s water resources;
- “(b) oversee the policies and activities of the department, other state executive agencies, and other state institutions as those policies and activities affect the water resources of the state;
- “(c) assist with interagency coordination related to Montana’s water resources; and
- “(d) communicate with the public on matters of water policy as well as the water resources of the state.
- “On a regular basis, the water policy interim committee shall:
- “(a) analyze and comment on the state water plan required by 85-1-203, when filed by the department;
- “(b) analyze and comment on the report of the status of the state’s renewable resource grant and loan program required by 85-1-621, when filed by the department;
- “(c) analyze and comment on water-related research undertaken by any state agency, institution, college, or university;
- “(d) analyze, verify, and comment on the adequacy of and information contained in the water information system maintained by the natural resource information system under 90-15-305; and
- “(e) provide recommendations and a report, if one is written, in accordance with 5-5-216 for studies completed by the committee””(e) provide recommendations and a report, if one is written, in accordance with 5-5-216 for studies completed by the committee” (MCA 85-2-105).