2023 Capitol Tracker

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

A digital guide by
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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. Jeff Welborn, SD 36

Sen. Jeff Welborn

Eighth-session Republican from Dillon
Senate Natural Resources Chair
Representing Senate District 36
Dillon, Twin Bridges, Ennis
(406) 949-6070 • Jeff.Welborn@legmt.gov
Committees •Bills •Key votes •Voting stats •2022 election margin •MTFP Coverage

Welborn previously served in the Montana Senate in 2017, 2019 and 2021, as well as the House in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015.

Committee assignments

Senate Finance and Claims
Senate Natural Resources - Chair 🪑
Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation
Senate Committee on Committees
Senate Rules
Joint Rules
Joint Appropriations Section C — Natural Resources and Transportation - Vice Chair

Bills sponsored

📋 SB 17: Revise oversight of stream gauge network
Jeff Welborn (R)📃 Bill text
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
✅House
✅Gov.
📋 SB 41: Revise state land banking laws
Jeff Welborn (R)📃 Bill text💵 Fiscal note
❌1st Cmte.
⚪️Senate
⚪️House
⚪️Gov.
📋 SR 44: Confirm governor's appointees for the board of water well contractors
Jeff Welborn (R)📃 Bill text
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
📋 SR 45: Confirm governor's appointee for the board of environmental review
Jeff Welborn (R)📃 Bill text
❌1st Cmte.
⚪️Senate
📋 SR 62: Confirm governor's appointees for board of environmental review
Jeff Welborn (R)📃 Bill text
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
📋 SR 63: Confirm governor's appointee for board of environmental review
Jeff Welborn (R)📃 Bill text
✅1st Cmte.
✅Senate
Showing 6 of 6
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Key bill votes

Most recent floor votes on bills identified as notable by MTFP staff.
Motion / BillWelborn (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		NO
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		NO
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		NO
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		NO
Y
29-21
Y
29-5
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 372: Establish right to hunt in Constitution		NO
N
26-21
N
26-5
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 419: Allow bonding for injunctions that prevent hunting or harvesting of game		NO
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		NO
Y
35-14
Y
33-1
N
2-13
Do Concur /
HB 517: Constitutional amendment regarding board of regents		NO
N
27-23
N
27-7
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 518: Authorize standing for legislature to bring lawsuit		NO
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		NO
Y
31-18
Y
31-2
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 549: Authorizing establishment of public charter schools		NO
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		YES
Y
26-24
N
11-23
Y
15-1
Do Concur /
HB 569: Generally revise pension laws		NO
Y
26-24
Y
26-8
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 575: Prohibit abortion of unborn viable children		NO
Y
30-20
Y
30-4
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 588: Revise TEACH Act incentives to increase starting teacher salary		NO
Y
46-4
Y
30-4
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 625: Infant safety and care act		NO
Y
31-19
Y
31-3
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 648: Provide for the best beginnings scholarship program		YES
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		NO
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		NO
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		NO
Y
28-22
Y
28-6
N
0-16
Do Adopt /
HB 819: Create Montana community reinvestment act to fund workforce housing		NO
Y
28-22
Y
28-6
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 828: Authorize an ambulance provider assessment program		YES
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		YES
Y
30-20
N
14-20
Y
16-0
Do Concur /
HB 915: Constitutional amendment to change process to select supreme court justices		NO
N
23-27
N
23-11
N
0-16
Do Concur /
HB 968: Revise abortion laws concerning parental consultation		NO
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		YES
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		NO
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		NO
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		NO
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		YES
Y
32-18
Y
23-11
Y
9-7
Do Pass /
SB 301: Revise property laws related to lakeshore regulations		NO
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		NO
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		NO
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		NO
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		NO
Y
26-24
Y
26-8
N
0-16
Do Pass /
SB 566: Require top two primary for U.S. Senate races		NO
Y
27-23
Y
27-7
N
0-16

Floor vote statistics

Calculations based on 2,599 Senate floor votes in 2023 involving bills.
🥇 86%
of votes cast on winning side
Average for Senate Republicans is 91%.
🔴 83%
of votes cast on side taken by most Republicans
Average for Senate Republicans is 92%.
🔵 73%
of votes cast on side taken by most Democrats
Average for Senate Republicans is 56%.
Welborn has been marked absent or excused for 2 votes. Average for Senate lawmakers is 6.8.

SD 36 election results

Last in-cycle for Senate election in 2020. House seats are elected every two years, Senate seats every four.

General election vote, 2020

(R) JEFF WELBORN(R) 80%(L) 20%
Won by 59% (7,820 votes)

Party primary vote, 2020

(R) JEFF WELBORN(R) 100%
Ran unopposed

Governor vote in district, 2020

(R) GIANFORTE(R) 65%(D) 31%
Won by 34% (4,819 votes)

Montana Free Press coverage

MTFP legislative reporting involving Welborn.
📰 Environment
Three takeaways from lawmakers’ approach to natural resources management
May 11, 2023 • Amanda Eggert
📰 2023 Legislature
Senate majority leader falls short in anti-pork crusade
Apr 28, 2023 • Eric Dietrich
📰 2023 Legislature
Proposals to amend Constitution struggle to garner needed support
Apr 5, 2023 • Arren Kimbel-Sannit
📰 2023 Legislature
$2 billion coal trust proposal gets a hearing
Feb 27, 2023 • Arren Kimbel-Sannit
📰 2023 Legislature
Republican lawmakers shy away from changing state’s constitutional right to abortion
Feb 17, 2023 •
📰 2023 Legislature
Abortion privacy bill clears major vote on Senate floor
Jan 25, 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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