The League's 2026 Legislative Resolutions
At the October 8th Annual Meeting of the Members in Helena, members approved the League’s 2026 Legislative Resolutions, establishing the priorities that will guide our advocacy throughout the 2027 Legislative Session and the following interim. Their adoption marked the culmination of months of discussion, collaboration, and careful consideration by municipal leaders and staff from across Montana.
Throughout the spring, summer, and fall, four subcommittees of the League’s Legislative Committee met multiple times to discuss the issues affecting Montana’s cities and towns. Participants included mayors, city managers, clerks, finance officers, and other municipal professionals, both League Board members and members who do not serve on the Board.
Together, they brought different community perspectives and firsthand experience to a common task: identifying where legislative action can best support municipalities and the residents they serve.
Each subcommittee focused on specific policy areas, while all contributed to the general principles underlying the League’s advocacy. Those discussions helped turn individual community challenges into shared priorities.
The proposed resolutions then moved through two stages of member approval. On Wednesday, October 7th,
the League Board of Directors unanimously approved the resolutions during its meeting at the Annual Conference. On Thursday, October 8th, the resolutions were presented to the full membership at the Annual Meeting of the Members, where they passed by majority vote.
The result is a member-developed, member-approved guide for the League’s legislative work.
Local Decision-making at the Center
Across all ten resolutions is a shared understanding: local governments are closest to the people, and local processes and decision-making deserve respect and support from state and federal governments.
The League’s advocacy efforts seek to preserve and promote Montana municipalities, the services they provide, and the economies they support.
The 2026 Resolutions put these commitments into practice by identifying policies the League will support and proposals it will oppose. They include:
- General Principles – Resolution #2026-1: Respect municipal authority, protect reliable funding for essential services, and ensure new requirements come with resources to carry them out.
- Municipal Revenue and Property Taxes – Resolution #2026-2: Pursue property tax relief while preserving local services, diversify municipal revenue options, improve the identification of newly taxable property, and protect tools such as tax increment financing.
- Housing – Resolution #2026-3: Support community-generated solutions that improve housing availability and affordability while preserving local decision-making and the ability to provide essential services.
- Land Use and Environmental Regulation – Resolution #2026-4:
Protect local planning authority, municipal water rights, and water quality while supporting practical implementation of the Montana Land Use Planning Act.
- Infrastructure – Resolution #2026-5: Seek sustained investment in streets, water, wastewater, and other community essentials, along with simpler, better-coordinated funding processes.
- Retirement Benefits: – Resolution #2026-6: Support sound public retirement systems while addressing the financial effects of retirement policies on municipal employers.
- Natural Resource Communities – Resolution #2026-7: Help communities respond to changes in natural resource industries through economic diversification, revenue protection, and support for local services.
- Public Safety – Resolution #2026-8: Strengthen funding, equipment, training, and coordination for law enforcement, fire protection, and emergency response.
- Military Communities – Resolution #2026-9: Support Montana’s military missions, service members, veterans, and families, including partnerships that address community needs.
- Behavioral Health – Resolution #2026-10: Advocate for accessible, coordinated, sustainably funded services so police, fire, EMS, and courts do not become the default response when appropriate care is unavailable.
Developing these resolutions required time, thoughtful discussion, and a willingness to consider needs beyond any one community. We thank the members who contributed their expertise through the subcommittees. Visit our Legislative Resolutions webpage for full descriptions of each resolution.
Your Experience Strengthens our Advocacy
Adoption of the resolutions is an important step, and member involvement remains essential as the League puts them to work. Your local examples, questions, and experiences help explain how policy decisions affect municipal services, budgets, businesses, and residents.
In the coming weeks, League Executive Director Jennifer Olson will host two Lunch & Learn sessions: one exploring the adopted resolutions and the priorities behind them, and another focused on how members can get involved in the legislative process and make their community’s voice heard. Watch for dates and registration details.
Members can also sign up for weekly legislative updates and action alerts throughout the 2027 Legislative Session. These communications will prioritize legislation impacting municipalities, help you follow key developments, and highlight opportunities to weigh in.
As we prepare for the session, we encourage you to review the resolutions, share what your community is experiencing, and stay engaged. Our advocacy is strongest when it reflects the communities we serve, and when we carry those priorities forward together.