Montana Section D subcommittee opens session with HB2 training, sets public-comment and scheduling rules

Representative Fiona Nave, chair of the Section D Public Safety Subcommittee, called the panel to order on Jan. 9 and opened the committee's first meeting of the 2025 session with organizational business and training on the governor's House Bill 2 budget process. "This is my first time as chair. I am very honored to have this position," Nave said, adding the subcommittee will press agencies on measurable performance tied to taxpayer dollars.

Walker Hopkins, lead staff for the Legislative Fiscal Division, delivered a roughly hour-long training on how the subcommittee will review the governor's House Bill 2 submission, explaining the committee's role in recommending changes to the full appropriations committees and walking members through budget concepts they will repeatedly encounter. "We will be working in the 2027 biennium session," Hopkins said, describing the base budget as "fiscal year 2025 ongoing appropriations" and distinguishing present law adjustments from new proposals.

Hopkins reviewed specific…