Montana Title 7. Local Government § 7-3-4324. Procedure to enact ordinance or resolution

(1) Each proposed ordinance or resolution must be introduced in written or printed form and may not contain more than one subject, which must be clearly stated in the title; however, general appropriation ordinances may contain the various subjects and accounts for which money is to be appropriated. Each ordinance or resolution passed by the commission must be signed by the mayor or two members of the commission and filed with the clerk within 2 days and must be recorded by the clerk.

(2) The enacting clause of all ordinances passed by the commission must be “Be it ordained by the commission of the (city or town) of (name of city or town)”. The enacting clause of all ordinances submitted by initiative must be “Be it ordained by the people of the (city or town) of (name of city or town)”.

(3) An ordinance, unless it is declared an emergency, may not be passed on the day on which it is introduced unless ordered by an affirmative vote of four-fifths of the members of the commission in cities with five commissioners and two-thirds of the members of the commission in all other cities and towns.

(4) An ordinance or resolution or section of an ordinance or resolution may not be revised or amended unless the new ordinance or resolution contains the entire ordinance or resolution or section being revised or amended.

(5) Each ordinance or resolution, upon its final passage, must be recorded in a book kept for that purpose and must be authenticated by the signature of the presiding officer and the clerk of the commission. At a minimum, the number and title of each ordinance or resolution must be published at least once within 10 days after its final passage in the manner provided for in this part.