2023 Capitol Tracker

The lawmakers, bills and votes of the 68th Montana Legislature

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Last update: 12:46 AM Aug 29, 2023
📑 Key bills🗂 All bills🔎 Find a bill🔎 Find a lawmaker🏡 Your district🗓 Calendar📝 What's happened🙋 How to participate
🏛 House
GOP-held 68-32
🏛 Senate
GOP-held 34-16
🖋 Governor
Greg Gianforte (R)
Sen. Dennis Lenz, SD 27

Sen. Dennis Lenz

Fifth-session Republican from Billings
Representing Senate District 27
West Billings
(406) 671-7052 • Dennis.Lenz@legmt.gov
Committees •Bills •Key votes •Voting stats •2022 election margin •MTFP Coverage

Lenz previously served in the Montana House in 2013, 2017, 2019 and 2021.

Committee assignments

Senate Finance and Claims
Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety - Vice Chair
Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation
Senate Rules
Joint Rules
Joint Appropriations Section B — Health and Human Services

Bills sponsored

📋 SB 36: Eliminate certain DPHHS statutorily required reports
Dennis Lenz (R)📃 Bill text
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
✅House
✅Gov.
📋 SB 113: Make permanent certain notification requirements in CPS cases
Dennis Lenz (R)📃 Bill text
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
✅House
✅Gov.
📋 SB 114: Eliminate anonymous reporting in child protective services cases
Dennis Lenz (R)📃 Bill text📰 1 MTFP story
✅1st Cmte.
✴️Senate
⚪️House
⚪️Gov.
📋 SB 115: Revise definition of psychological abuse or neglect in CPS cases
Dennis Lenz (R)📃 Bill text📰 1 MTFP story
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
✅House
✅Reconcil.
✅Gov.
📋 SB 116: Revise confidentiality provisions related to child protective services cases
Dennis Lenz (R)📃 Bill text
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
✅House
✅Reconcil.
✅Gov.
📋 SB 148: Revise laws regarding legal representation of children
Dennis Lenz (R)📃 Bill text💵 Fiscal note
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
✅House
✅Reconcil.
✅Gov.
📋 SB 149: Establish penalties for false reporting in child protective services cases
Dennis Lenz (R)📃 Bill text💵 Fiscal note
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
✅House
✅Reconcil.
✅Gov.
📋 SB 150: Generally revise laws related to drug testing in CPS cases
Dennis Lenz (R)📃 Bill text
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
✅House
✅Gov.
📋 SB 151: Revise laws related to parental financial responsibility in CPS cases
Dennis Lenz (R)📃 Bill text💵 Fiscal note📰 1 MTFP story
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
✅House
✅Reconcil.
✅Gov.
📋 SB 162: Provide notice to foster parents in CPS cases
Dennis Lenz (R)📃 Bill text💵 Fiscal note
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
✅House
✅Gov.
Showing 10 of 27.
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Key bill votes

Most recent floor votes on bills identified as notable by MTFP staff.
Motion / BillLenz (R)OutcomeRepublicansDemocrats
Do Concur /
HB 2: General Appropriations Act		YES
Y
32-18
Y
31-3
N
1-15
Do Concur As Amended /
HB 5: Long-range building appropriations		YES
Y
30-20
N
16-18
Y
14-2
Do Concur /
HB 13: State Employee Pay Plan and revising laws governing state employees		YES
Y
48-1
Y
32-1
Y
16-0
Do Adopt /
HB 16: Revise laws relating to child abuse and neglect proceedings		YES
Y
35-15
Y
34-0
N
1-15
Do Concur /
HB 29: Revise laws related to involuntary commitment of people with dementia or TBI		YES
Y
49-0
Y
34-0
Y
15-0
Do Concur /
HB 33: Allow county commissioners to initiate certain civil proceedings		YES
Y
49-1
Y
34-0
Y
15-1
Do Concur /
HB 37: Generally revise child abuse and neglect laws		YES
Y
41-9
Y
25-9
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 55: An act establishing a tax on electric vehicle charging stations		NO
Y
35-14
Y
21-13
Y
14-1
Do Concur /
HB 60: An act providing for an annual fee on electric vehicles registered in the state		YES
Y
39-11
Y
30-4
Y
9-7
Do Concur /
HB 172: Revise laws related to post-election audits		YES
Y
49-1
Y
33-1
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 192: Use surplus revenue for income tax and property tax refunds and payment of bonds		YES
Y
32-18
Y
32-2
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 196: Revise election laws related to the counting of votes		YES
Y
49-1
Y
34-0
Y
15-1
Do Concur /
HB 212: Increase business equipment tax exemption		YES
Y
33-17
Y
33-1
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 222: Provide rebates of property taxes paid on a principal residence		YES
Y
34-16
Y
34-0
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 234: Revise dissemination of obscene material to minors laws		YES
Y
34-16
Y
33-1
N
1-15
Do Concur /
HB 267: Create SAFER account for federal highway grants		YES
Y
33-17
Y
33-1
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 284: Revise laws related to approval of electricity supply resources		YES
Y
43-7
Y
34-0
Y
9-7
Do Concur /
HB 303: Implement Medical Ethics and Diversity Act		YES
Y
31-19
Y
31-3
N
0-16
Do Adopt /
HB 317: Provide for the Montana Indian Child Welfare Act		YES
Y
39-11
Y
23-11
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 326: Revise laws relating to the appointment of the judicial standards commission		YES
Y
29-21
Y
29-5
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 332: Generally revise laws related to school employee health benefits		NO
Y
29-21
N
13-21
Y
16-0
Do Adopt /
HB 338: Revise laws related to Indian Education for All		YES
Y
48-2
Y
32-2
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 352: Provide targeted interventions to support 3rd grade reading proficiency		NO
Y
27-23
N
11-23
Y
16-0
Do Adopt /
HB 359: Prohibit minors from attending drag shows		YES
Y
29-21
Y
29-5
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 372: Establish right to hunt in Constitution		YES
N
26-21
N
26-5
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 419: Allow bonding for injunctions that prevent hunting or harvesting of game		YES
Y
33-17
Y
33-1
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 423: Revise laws related to compensation for wrongfully convicted individuals		YES
Y
44-1
Y
30-1
Y
14-0
Do Concur /
HB 479: Provide appropriation for DOJ to assume law enforcement PL-280		YES
Y
35-14
Y
33-1
N
2-13
Do Concur /
HB 517: Constitutional amendment regarding board of regents		YES
N
27-23
N
27-7
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 518: Authorize standing for legislature to bring lawsuit		YES
Y
33-17
Y
33-1
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 535: Revising education laws to provide a definition of "financial literacy"		YES
Y
50-0
Y
34-0
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 544: Provide requirements for coverage of abortion under Medicaid and CHIP		YES
Y
31-18
Y
31-2
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 549: Authorizing establishment of public charter schools		YES
Y
27-23
Y
27-7
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 551: Implement constitutional carry into the Montana Constitution		YES
N
33-17
N
33-1
N
0-16
Indefinitely Postpone -Fitzpatrick /
HB 562: Authorize establishment of community choice schools		NO
Y
26-24
N
11-23
Y
15-1
Do Concur /
HB 569: Generally revise pension laws		YES
Y
26-24
Y
26-8
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 575: Prohibit abortion of unborn viable children		YES
Y
30-20
Y
30-4
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 588: Revise TEACH Act incentives to increase starting teacher salary		YES
Y
46-4
Y
30-4
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 625: Infant safety and care act		YES
Y
31-19
Y
31-3
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 648: Provide for the best beginnings scholarship program		NO
Y
29-20
N
14-20
Y
15-0
Take HB 649 from FCS and put on 2R today -Pope /
HB 649: Implement rates from provider rate study		NO
N
21-29
N
5-29
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 693: Clarify disclosure of public information that may be involved in litigation		YES
Y
48-2
Y
34-0
Y
14-2
Do Concur /
HB 695: Revise TRO standard for suits against the state and subdivisions of government		YES
Y
34-16
Y
34-0
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 707: Allow certain elementary districts to create new high school district		YES
Y
36-14
Y
20-14
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 721: Restrict unborn child from dismemberment abortion		YES
Y
31-19
Y
31-3
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 748: Allow zoning for separation of incompatible uses of property		NO
Y
38-12
Y
23-11
Y
15-1
Do Concur /
HB 797: Require agency reporting on financial assistance to tribes		YES
Y
50-0
Y
34-0
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 808: Revise surety insurance laws related to bail bonds		YES
Y
31-17
Y
27-6
N
4-11
Do Concur /
HB 816: Revise distribution of surplus revenue		YES
Y
45-3
Y
30-3
Y
15-0
Do Concur /
HB 817: Provide for capital projects		YES
Y
28-22
Y
28-6
N
0-16
Do Adopt /
HB 819: Create Montana community reinvestment act to fund workforce housing		YES
Y
28-22
Y
28-6
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 828: Authorize an ambulance provider assessment program		NO
Y
35-13
Y
20-13
Y
15-0
Do Concur /
HB 856: Generally revise capitol complex administration laws		YES
Y
38-12
Y
26-8
Y
12-4
Do Concur /
HB 872: Provide funding for behavioral health system for future generations		YES
Y
44-6
Y
28-6
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 889: Revise the Residential Mobile Home Lot Rental Act		NO
Y
30-20
N
14-20
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 915: Constitutional amendment to change process to select supreme court justices		YES
N
23-27
N
23-11
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 968: Revise abortion laws concerning parental consultation		YES
Y
31-18
Y
31-3
N
0-15
Do Concur /
HB 971: Revise environmental policy act		YES
Y
34-15
Y
34-0
N
0-15
Do Pass /
SB 4: Require sharing of reports of abuse and neglect at Montana State Hospital		YES
Y
50-0
Y
34-0
Y
16-0
Do Pass /
SB 70: Revise the Quality Educator Loan Assistance Program		NO
Y
46-4
Y
30-4
Y
16-0
Do Pass /
SB 85: Require management of delisted grizzly bears at sustainable levels		YES
Y
37-12
Y
34-0
N
3-12
Do Concur /
SB 99: Provide for a youth health protection act		YES
Y
31-19
Y
31-3
N
0-16
Do Pass /
SB 109: Revise laws related to redistricting the PSC		YES
Y
30-20
Y
30-4
N
0-16
Do Pass /
SB 121: Reduce top marginal income tax rate and increase EITC		YES
Y
35-15
Y
34-0
N
1-15
Do Pass /
SB 154: Define the right to privacy to clarify no right to abortion		YES
Y
28-21
Y
28-6
N
0-15
Do Pass /
SB 191: Revise preliminary injunction laws		YES
Y
33-17
Y
33-1
N
0-16
Do Concur /
SB 201: Revise judicial recusal laws when parties made campaign contributions		YES
Y
31-18
Y
31-2
N
0-16
Do Adopt /
SB 245: Revise municipal zoning to allow multifamily and mixed use development		YES
Y
49-0
Y
34-0
Y
15-0
Do Pass /
SB 275: Revise definition of proposed mixing zone & well isolation zone		YES
Y
36-14
Y
31-3
N
5-11
Do Concur /
SB 295: Revising laws to accommodate grizzly bear delisting		YES
Y
35-12
Y
31-0
N
4-12
Do Concur /
SB 296: Revise nursing home and/or assisted living funding		NO
Y
32-18
Y
23-11
Y
9-7
Do Pass /
SB 301: Revise property laws related to lakeshore regulations		YES
Y
32-18
Y
30-4
N
2-14
Do Concur /
SB 323: Allow for duplex, triplex, and fourplex housing in city zoning		YES
Y
35-14
Y
30-3
N
5-11
Do Concur /
SB 359: Prohibit tracking of firearms sales by financial institutions		YES
Y
37-13
Y
34-0
N
3-13
Do Concur /
SB 382: Create the Montana Land Use Planning Act		YES
Y
50-0
Y
34-0
Y
16-0
Do Pass /
SB 419: Ban tik-tok in Montana		YES
Y
30-20
Y
28-6
N
2-14
Do Concur /
SB 442: Allow marijuana tax revenue to be used for county road maintenance		YES
Y
48-1
Y
33-1
Y
15-0
Do Concur /
SB 458: Define sex in Montana law		YES
Y
28-22
Y
28-6
N
0-16
Do Not Concur /
SB 481: Require cast vote records		YES
Y
35-15
Y
34-0
N
1-15
Do Pass /
SB 485: Raising hourly rate of legislator compensation		YES
Y
33-17
Y
24-10
Y
9-7
Do Concur /
SB 490: Generally revising the legislature's investigative powers		YES
Y
34-16
Y
34-0
N
0-16
Do Concur /
SB 498: Revise laws related to absentee ballots		YES
Y
49-0
Y
34-0
Y
15-0
Do Concur /
SB 499: Revise adverse possession laws relating to certain land and improvements		YES
Y
48-1
Y
33-1
Y
15-0
Suspend Rules -Fitzpatrick /
SB 534: Constitutional amendment on redistricting		YES
Y
31-17
Y
31-2
N
0-15
Do Concur /
SB 557: Revise MEPA relating to litigation		YES
Y
34-16
Y
34-0
N
0-16
Do Pass /
SB 565: Generally revise primary election and nomination laws		YES
Y
26-24
Y
26-8
N
0-16
Do Pass /
SB 566: Require top two primary for U.S. Senate races		YES
Y
27-23
Y
27-7
N
0-16

Floor vote statistics

Calculations based on 2,599 Senate floor votes in 2023 involving bills.
🥇 85%
of votes cast on winning side
Average for Senate Republicans is 91%.
🔴 89%
of votes cast on side taken by most Republicans
Average for Senate Republicans is 92%.
🔵 59%
of votes cast on side taken by most Democrats
Average for Senate Republicans is 56%.
Lenz has been marked absent or excused for 3 votes. Average for Senate lawmakers is 6.8.

SD 27 election results

Last in-cycle for Senate election in 2022. House seats are elected every two years, Senate seats every four.

General election vote, 2022

(R) DENNIS LENZ(R) 100%
Ran unopposed

Party primary vote, 2022

(R) DENNIS LENZ(R) 100%
Ran unopposed

Governor vote in district, 2020

(R) GIANFORTE(R) 65%(D) 32%
Won by 33% (5,475 votes)

Montana Free Press coverage

MTFP legislative reporting involving Lenz.
📰 2023 Legislature
ICWA for whom?
Apr 28, 2023 • Brad Tyer
📰 2023 Legislature
Montana Indian Child Welfare Act gets a Senate hearing
Mar 23, 2023 • JoVonne Wagner
📰 2023 Legislature
Child welfare reforms sail through major votes
Jan 26, 2023 • Mara Silvers

About the 2023 Montana Free Press Capitol Tracker

This guide is an effort to make the quantifiable aspects of the Montana Legislature more accessible to the public by compiling information about lawmakers, proposed bills and the legislative process. This is a project of Montana Free Press, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit newsroom that aims to provide Montanans with in-depth, nonpartisan news coverage.

The information presented here is collected from a variety of sources including the Montana Legislature’s public roster and its official bill-tracking system, the Legislative Automated Workflow System, or LAWS. Reporting and web design was done primarily by MTFP Deputy Editor Eric Dietrich. Please contact him at edietrich@montanafreepress.org with bug reports, questions or suggestions.

Think there's a potential news story to be done about a bill or lawmaker you see here? Tell us at tips@montanafreepress.org.

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