Committee chairs assigned for Montana Legislature • Daily Montanan

Who’s on first?

Before any bills get signed into law or tossed out, they’re heard in committees of the Montana Legislature, and the chairs of those groups hold power. They decide what priorities to set, when to take action, and how much to listen to the public — and legislators from the other side of the aisle.

Longtime state budget mastermind Rep. Llew Jones, of Conrad, will again steer Appropriations, and the super-sausage-wrangling Senate Judiciary will be led by Sen. Barry Usher, of Billings.

Here’s a full list of the legislators, all Republicans, leading the 2025 Montana Legislature’s Senate, House and joint committees, from the Legislative Services Division:

Senate Committees

• Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation: Bruce Gillespie, Ethridge
• Business, Labor and Economic Affairs: Mark Noland, Bigfork
• Education and Cultural Resources: John Fuller, Kalispell
• Energy and Telecommunications: Daniel Zolnikov, Billings
• Executive Review: Jason Ellsworth: Hamilton
• Finance and Claims: Carl Glimm, Kila
• Fish and Game: Denley Loge, St. Regis
• Highways and Transportation: Russ Tempel, Chester
• Judiciary: Barry Usher, Billings
• Local Government: Forrest Mandeville, Columbus
• Natural Resources: Wylie Galt, Martinsdale
• Public Health, Welfare and Safety: Dennis Lenz, Billings
• State Administration: Theresa Manzella, Hamilton
• Taxation: Greg Hertz, Polson

Joint Appropriations/Finance and Claims

These joint subcommittees are led by the following representatives:

• General Government (A): Terry Falk, Kalispell
• Health and Human Services (B): Jane Gillette, Three Forks
• Natural Resources and Transportation (C): Jerry Schillinger, Circle
• Judicial Branch, Law Enforcement and Justice (D): Fiona Nave, Columbus
• Education (D): David Bedey, Hamilton
• Long Range Planning (F): John Fitzpatrick, Anaconda

House Committees

• Agriculture: Mitchell Braxton, Columbia Falls
• Appropriations: Llew Jones, Conrad
• Business and Labor: Ed Buttrey, Great Falls
• Education: Linda Reksten, Polson
• Energy, Technology and Federal Relations: Gary Parry, Colstrip
• Fish, Wildlife and Parks: Jedediah Hinkle, Belgrade
• Human Services: Ron Marshall, Hamilton
• Judiciary: Amy Regier, Kalispell
• Local Government: Larry Brewster, Billings
• Natural Resources: Steve Gist, Cascade
• State Administration: Julie Darling, Helena
• Taxation: Paul Fielder, Thompson Falls
• Transportation: Neil Duram, Eureka

On-Call Senate Committees

• Committee on Committees: Glimm
• Ethics: Sue Vinton, Billings
• Legislative Administration: Vince Ricci, Billings
• Rules: Tom McGillvray, Billings

On-Call House Committees

• Ethics: Katie Zolnikov, Billings
• Legislative Administration: George Nikolakakos, Great Falls
• Rules: Steve Fitzpatrick, Great Falls