Bill would raise threshold, require draft to trigger special-session poll

Representative George Nicola Kakos (House District 22, eastern Great Falls, including Malmstrom Air Force Base) opened testimony on House Bill 348, a bill to change how legislators may call for a poll to request a special legislative session.

Kakos told the committee that under current law "it takes nothing but 10 legislators and a simple letter to the secretary of state to trigger a call for [a special session]." He described that low threshold as yielding many unsuccessful calls that expend staff time and resources and said HB 348 would require two main changes: (1) 30 signatories to initiate a special-session poll and (2) submission of a draft bill to be considered during the special session so that those deciding whether to call a session have a concrete proposal to evaluate.

Kakos noted the rarity of special sessions historically—"We've…