In our minds, Montana is already the greatest state in the nation. However, our state will be even greater by the end of the 2025 legislative session. At the halfway point of the session, the Senate is working harder than ever to move critical legislation across the finish line and keep Montana the Last Best Place.

Tax reform has been a top priority this session; every lawmaker here can confirm that the people of Montana are eager to keep more of their hard-earned money. We have already advanced several pieces of legislation to accomplish this, including measures to provide property tax relief for Montanans using money that tourists pay when they visit and increasing transparency on local property tax levies that are up to voters.

In addition to providing tax relief, we are also focused on making housing more affordable and available so that Montana families can find a home. The Senate has passed a handful of bipartisan pro-housing bills this session in an effort to continue the “Montana Miracle” on housing policy that we started last session. These reforms are designed to increase the supply of affordable and attainable housing without urban sprawl that would decimate our agricultural lands and cherished open space. 

Moreover, we passed legislation to protect private property, such as a bill to make squatting a criminal offense, safeguarding Montanans against the illegal takeover of their homes. We also passed legislation to revise zoning laws to favor more freedom to use your own property.

To make sure that the laws we pass are not unduly shot down by overreaching courts, we are also advancing a series of important judicial reform bills. We passed legislation to bolster honesty in our judicial races by having judge candidates transparently declare their political affiliations and advanced a bill to create a new Government Claims Court to expeditiously resolve critical constitutional cases while easing the workload of other courts, among many other reforms.

After the “transmittal break” at the halfway point of the session, we’re looking forward to taking up reforms proposed by the House of Representatives on education and school funding, reviewing every detail of the state budget, and fulfilling the Senate’s constitutional duty to confirm gubernatorial appointments. 

You can stay informed about our work in the second half of the session by subscribing to our newsletter or tracking legislation at bills.legmt.gov. It has never been easier to stay engaged and watch as we make — or rather, keep — Montana great.

Sen. Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, is the president of the Montana Senate; Sen. Ken Bogner, R-Miles City, is the president Pro Tempore; Sen. Tom McGillvray, R-Billings, is the Senate Majority Leader; Sens. Sue Vinton, Barry Usher, Daniel Zolnikov and Dennis Lenz are the Senate’s majority whips.