Legislators talk about congeniality as session begins

The Montana Legislature opened for business on Monday, Jan. 5, with lawmakers saying they will work together and show respect for one another after a contentious session in 2013.

House Republicans and Democrats elected Republican Rep. Austin Knudsen, 33, of Culbertson, as the new House speaker.

Knudsen told House members his role is not dictator and he’d work with them on their goals for the session.

“We here in this body can disagree without being disagreeable,” he said.

But Knudsen’s comments come as a rule change was proposed in the House that would give him more power over the fate of House bills. The proposed change called for a super-majority vote instead of a simple majority vote to overrule Knudsen’s decisions to kill bills by sending them to certain committees.

The House Rules Committee took up the proposed rule changes in a meeting on Jan. 6, and House Democrats said they will fight the change.

Newly-elected Senate President Debby Barrett, 62, R-Dillon, said she wants to see the 64th Legislature run smoothly. She said the Republican Party is united for this session after dealing with a party divided between conservative and more moderate Republicans last session.

“I hope that after this 90-day session is over, we can all go back home with our heads held high and show our constituents what we’ve accomplished,” she said.

Barrett said a joint action plan released Monday by Republicans in the Senate and House is the first such plan she’s seen in her 14 years as a legislator, and that the unified message will show Montanans their dedication to lawmaking.

The Republican plan focuses on bills that they say will strengthen the economy, improve education opportunities, safeguard health-care options and protect the rights of individuals.

Republicans hold a 59-41 majority in the House and a 29-21 majority in the Senate, and both Knudsen and Barrett were elected without opposition on Jan. 5. This session’s elected GOP leadership is on the more conservative end of the party spectrum.

Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock and Republican legislators differ widely on priorities, but Bullock has pledged to work with any lawmakers who want to “get stuff done.” He cited last session when some Republicans worked with him to pass the state budget and other priorities.

Bullock said he and minority Democrats in the House and Senate minority will promote Medicaid expansion, preschool, a continued freeze on college tuition and campaign-finance reform, among other items.

House Minority Leader Chuck Hunter, D-Helena, said the 41 House Democrats look forward to working across the aisle and “have more in common than separates us.”