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Committee rejects amendment but passes bill defining partisan bill‑draft requests
Summary
The committee considered executive action on House Bill 142, debated an amendment to define "partisan basis," the amendment failed on a 7‑7 tie, and the full bill passed on a roll call, 8‑6.
The Montana House Legislative Administration Committee took executive action on House Bill 142 and considered an offered amendment (HB0142.001.001) that would have defined the phrase "partisan basis" in the code.
The amendment sponsor explained the change would define "partisan basis" to mean a vote by members of a single party to request bill drafts, arguing the definition would align the statute with legislative practice. Opponents, including Representative Schubert and Representative Marler, called the amendment confusing and unnecessary, saying committee rules already require a committee majority to advance drafts and that redefining "partisan" could create ambiguity.
The committee held a roll call vote on the amendment. The amendment vote was tied 7‑7 and therefore failed. A subsequent roll call on House Bill 142 as written passed 8‑6.
Roll call on amendment HB0142.001.001 (motion to adopt amendment): - Aye: Vice Chair Tuss; Representative Carlin (by proxy); Representative Fyant; Representative Edwards; Representative Marler; Representative Romano; Vice Chair Tuss (counted once in roll call transcript). - No: Representative Walsh; Representative Perry; Representative Schubert; Representative Falk (by proxy); Representative Deming; Representative Regier; Chair Niklokakos. Result: 7 ayes, 7 no — amendment failed.
Roll call on House Bill 142 (do pass): - Aye: Representative Walsh; Representative Perry; Representative Schubert; Representative Deming; Representative Regier; Representative Kametz (by proxy); Chair Niklokakos; Vice Chair Walsh (counted in transcript as aye). - No: Vice Chair Tuss; Representative Carlin (by proxy); Representative Fyant; Representative Edwards; Representative Marler; Representative Romano. Result: 8 ayes, 6 no — bill passed.
Committee members debated whether the statutory language was necessary to prevent minority‑party members from advancing bill‑draft requests on a losing committee vote; sponsors said the language would make explicit that majority control matters for partisan bill‑draft requests. The committee recorded proxies for some members during the voice and roll‑call votes.
The committee will forward HB 142 on to the next step in the legislative process as a committee‑passed bill.
