1. Introduction of Bill: Lawmakers can introduce an unlimited number of bills until 5 p.m. on December 5 before the session starts. After that, they can only introduce seven new bills, with further restrictions on when certain types of bills can be introduced. 2. Public Hearings: Once a bill is introduced, public hearings are held. Notice of these hearings must be posted online and in public places at least 3 legislative days in advance. 3. Readings and Voting: Every bill must be read three times prior to passage. A bill cannot have more than one reading on the same day, except on the last legislative day. 4. Governor's Action: After a bill is approved by the legislature, it is delivered to the governor. The governor has 10 days to sign or veto the bill. If the governor takes no action within this period, the bill automatically becomes law. 5. Veto Override: If the governor vetoes a bill, the legislature can override this veto with a two-thirds vote from both houses. 6. Citizen Initiative and Referendum: Citizens can also enact laws through initiatives or reject acts of the legislature through referendums by meeting specific petition requirements.

A member of the public can get involved in the legislative process in Montana in several ways: 1. Attend Public Hearings: Individuals can participate in public hearings where they can give oral or written testimony about proposed legislation. Notice of these hearings is posted online and in conspicuous public places at least three legislative days in advance. 2. Submit Written Testimony: If individuals are unable to attend a hearing in person, they can submit written comments on bills before the deadline, which are then distributed to committee members. 3. Remote Testimony: For added convenience, individuals can request a Zoom link to provide remote testimony on bills scheduled for hearing. They need to submit their request by 5 PM the day before the hearing and follow specific procedures during the testimony. 4. Follow Legislative Actions: The public can track the status of bills and committee actions through available online resources that provide updates on bill progress and voting. 5. Participate in Referenda and Initiatives: Citizens have the right to propose new laws through initiatives or to challenge laws passed by the legislature through referenda. This involves gathering a required number of signatures from qualified electors in a set timeframe. 6. Contact Legislators: Individuals can reach out to their state legislators to express opinions, provide feedback, or advocate for specific issues.

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in Montana every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

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1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.