The Montana State Legislature is made up of two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Constitution of Montana limits the size of the Senate to no fewer than 40 and no more than 50 members and the size of the House of Representatives to no fewer than 80 and no more than 100 members. Each house is responsible for choosing its officers, creating committees and establishing its own rules. The Montana Legislature meets for 90 days every odd numbered year, beginning the first Monday in January, or the following Wednesday if the first Monday is New Years Day. The first State Legislature convened on November 23, 1889, fifteen days after Montana became a state. Each following Legislature has been numbered sequentially.

The 61st Montana Legislature met from January 5th to April 28th, 2009. There were 16 standing committees in the Senate and 15 standing committees in the House. The leaders of the Senate were Robert Story (R-President), Dan McGee (R-President Pro Tempore), Jim Peterson (R-Majority Leader), Roy Brown and Greg Barkus (R-Majority Whips), Carol Williams (D-Minority Leader) Jesse Laslovich (D-Assistant Minority Leader) and Trudi Schmidt and Kim Gillan (D-Minority Whips). The leaders of the House were Bob Bergren (D-Speaker), Franke Wilmer (D-Speaker Pro Tempore), Margarett Campbell (D-Majority Leader), Mike Phillips (D-Majority Caucus Leader), Shannon Augare and Julie French (D-Majority Whips), Scott Sales (R-Minority Leader), Scott Mendenhall (R-Minority Floor Leader), Tom McGillvray (R-Assistant Minority Leader), and Chas Vincent, Dee Brown, Krayton Kerns and Llew Jones (R-Minority Whips). The transmittal dates were February 26th, March 18th, 26th and 31st, and April 2nd, 15th, 17th and 21st.

Sources: The Constitution of the State of Montana as adopted by the Constitutional Convention March 22, 1972, and as ratified by the people, June 6, 1972, referendum no. 68, http://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca_toc/Constitution.htm; "Organization of the Montana Legislature," The Montana Legislature, http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/About-the-Legislature/organization.asp; "2009 Regular Session," The Montana Legislature, http://leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/61st/default.asp