House Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes significant revisions to the laws governing statewide ballot issues in Montana. The bill mandates that the Secretary of State conduct a poll of the legislature on each statewide initiative submitted, requiring the results of this legislative poll to be included on the ballot. Specifically, within five working days after the petition submission deadline, the Secretary of State must send a ballot to each legislator, allowing them to express their support, opposition, or neutrality regarding the initiative. The results of this poll, broken down by political party, will be included in the voter information pamphlet and on the ballot itself.

Additionally, the bill amends existing sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to incorporate these new requirements. It removes the previous requirement for arguments advocating approval and rejection of the issues while adding provisions for including the summary results of the legislative poll for initiatives and referral votes. The bill also establishes an immediate effective date and specifies that it applies to initiatives submitted after the effective date. Overall, this legislation aims to enhance transparency and provide voters with more comprehensive information regarding legislative positions on ballot initiatives.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 13-27-401, 13-27-501
HB0375_1(1): 13-27-401, 13-27-501
HB0375_1(2): 13-27-401, 13-27-501
HB0375_1(3): 13-27-401, 13-27-501
HB0375_1(4): 13-27-401, 13-27-501
HB0375_1: 13-27-401, 13-27-501