Helena, Montana: Legislature Picks Leaders for 2027 Session; 29-Year-Old Zolnikov Becomes State's First Woman House Speaker
Montana lawmakers of both parties elected their caucus leaders for the 2027 legislative session at the state Capitol on November 11. According to a November 12 Montana Public Radio report, Senate President Matt Regier was re-elected without opposition, and Helena Democrat Laura Smith was chosen as Senate minority leader, saying she hopes to lower the temperature in the chamber.
In the House, 29-year-old Billings Republican Rep. Katie Zolnikov was elected Speaker, becoming the first woman House Speaker in Montana history; according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, she will also be the youngest woman state House speaker in US history. Zolnikov said cutting taxes is among her priorities, though specific plans are still to be developed. Other House leaders include Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Vinton and Majority Leader Tom Millett, while Missoula Democrat Rep. S.J. Howell was elected House minority leader.
Montana's next legislative session convenes in January 2027.
Source: Montana Public Radio
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：蒙大拿州议会大厦（海伦娜）。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons（Public domain）。 Image: The Montana State Capitol in Helena. Source: Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).
