Willis Curdy is a Democratic member of the Montana State Senate representing District 49 and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election; Brad Tschida, a Republican, is also on the ballot for the seat.[1][2]Curdy is a former teacher and U.S. Forest Service pilot who served in the Montana House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023.[1]
Willis Curdy was born in Corvallis, Montana, lives in Missoula, and graduated from Corvallis High School.[1]He earned a B.A. in history from the University of Montana in 1971 and a master's degree in education from the same university in 1987.[1]His career experience includes work as a pilot with the U.S. Forest Service and as a teacher in Missoula County Public Schools.[1]
Curdy represented Montana House District 98 from 2015 to 2023 before joining the State Senate.[1]In the 2025-2026 session, he was assigned to the Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation; Business, Labor and Economic Affairs (vice chair); and Natural Resources committees.[1]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
On the version voted Apr 29, 2025: Creates the Montana Growth and Opportunity Trust funded by transfers of volatile revenue, accounts for property tax relief, water development, local bridges and early childhood, a property tax credit for certified primary residences, and pension and housing funds.
On the version voted Apr 30, 2025: Requires community health workers to be licensed by the Department of Labor and Industry; applicants must be 18 or older, complete a training program and supervised experience or show equivalent experience, and pay fees, with requirements set by rule.
On the version voted Apr 30, 2025: Requires community health workers to be licensed by the Department of Labor and Industry; applicants must be 18 or older, complete a training program and supervised experience or show equivalent experience, and pay fees, with requirements set by rule.
On the version voted Apr 25, 2025: Allows firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency care providers to file workers' compensation claims for posttraumatic stress disorder when diagnosed under the DSM and arising from their employment.
On the version voted Apr 16, 2025: Sets Medicaid fees for physical, speech-language and occupational therapist services as a conversion factor ($39.56 in fiscal 2026) times relative value units; the department may raise the factor later in line with the medical care price index.
On the version voted Apr 11, 2025: Requires the Fish and Wildlife Commission to apply different gray wolf management techniques by region, and allows infrared and thermal scopes when hunting wolves on private land outside daylight hours.
On the version voted Mar 31, 2025: Requires the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks to publish a biennial river-use report, paid from the state park account, and appropriates $2.6 million.
On the version voted Apr 30, 2025: Raises the daily civil penalty for violating the 310 stream-permit law from $500 to $5,000, with total limits of $100,000 for a first violation and $250,000 for a second, none after; exempts forest practices allowed under state law.
On the version voted Apr 5, 2025: Creates a state program, funded at $600,000 a year, to replace funding for school districts that eliminate reduced-price copayments for school lunch and breakfast.
On the version voted Apr 5, 2025: Creates the Montana B.E.S.T. program giving training and support to teachers in their first three years, including mentor stipends, with a $1 million a year appropriation.
On the version voted Apr 8, 2025: Expands the Best Beginnings child care scholarship program to child-care workers at licensed day-care centers and registered family or group day-care homes with household income under twice the state median, appropriating $5.5 million a year.
On the version voted Apr 11, 2025: Defines sex in state law by reproductive anatomy as male or female only, defines male, female, man, woman, father and mother on that basis, and says "gender" used alone is a synonym for sex rather than gender identity.
On the version voted Apr 30, 2025: Requires the Montana Supreme Court to record its closed deliberation meetings and keep a written record, and makes both available to the public after the case is final, though the court may redact confidential information.
On the version voted Apr 18, 2025: Specifies acceptable forms of rent payment (cash, check, electronic or other agreed forms) and bars landlords from charging extra fees based on payment type, except to recoup an electronic bank fee for electronic payments.
On the version voted Apr 25, 2025: Increases the elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit, changes the definition of household income and the credit phaseout, and adds an inflation adjustment to the phaseout income level.
On the version voted Apr 5, 2025: Appropriates money for statewide access to a K-12 digital toolkit, $1.1 million a year to the Office of Public Instruction and $750,000 a year to the Department of Labor and Industry.
On the version voted Apr 25, 2025: Extends the disabled veteran property tax assistance program to veterans rated 80% to 90% disabled, with property tax rate multipliers of 70% to 90% depending on income.
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
SB 40 · MT SENATE
Revise supreme court public records laws by opening deliberations and files to the public
NoVOTED
Motion: Do Adopt
Requires the Montana Supreme Court to record its closed deliberation meetings and keep a written record, and makes both available to the public after the case is final, though the court may redact confidential information.
Revise penalties for violations under 310 permit process
YesVOTED
Motion: Do Adopt
Raises the daily civil penalty for violating the 310 stream-permit law from $500 to $5,000, with total limits of $100,000 for a first violation and $250,000 for a second, none after; exempts forest practices allowed under state law.
Revise supreme court public records laws by opening deliberations and files to the public
YesVOTED
Motion: Do Adopt
On the version voted Apr 30, 2025: Requires the Montana Supreme Court to record its closed deliberation meetings and keep a written record, and makes both available to the public after the case is final, though the court may redact confidential information.
On the version voted Apr 25, 2025: Changes how marijuana tax revenue is divided, including 20% to a new habitat legacy account, 31% to law enforcement grants and 6.5% to drug and alcohol prevention, and creates accounts for wildlife highway crossings and land and wildlife stewardship.
On the version voted Apr 24, 2025: Lets 100%-employee-owned (ESOP) contractors claim refunds of the contractor's gross receipts tax credit, extends the credit carryforward from 5 to 7 years, and lets the credit offset certain real property taxes.
Revise penalties for violations under 310 permit process
NoVOTED
Motion: Do Adopt
On the version voted Apr 30, 2025: Raises the daily civil penalty for violating the 310 stream-permit law from $500 to $5,000, with total limits of $100,000 for a first violation and $250,000 for a second, none after; exempts forest practices allowed under state law.
On the version voted Apr 24, 2025: Lets 100%-employee-owned (ESOP) contractors claim refunds of the contractor's gross receipts tax credit, extends the credit carryforward from 5 to 7 years, and lets the credit offset certain real property taxes.
On the version voted Apr 25, 2025: Changes how marijuana tax revenue is divided, including 20% to a new habitat legacy account, 31% to law enforcement grants and 6.5% to drug and alcohol prevention, and creates accounts for wildlife highway crossings and land and wildlife stewardship.
Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program
YesVOTED
Motion: Do Pass
On the version voted Apr 25, 2025: Extends the disabled veteran property tax assistance program to veterans rated 80% to 90% disabled, with property tax rate multipliers of 70% to 90% depending on income.
Provide best beginnings scholarships to child care workers
YesVOTED
Motion: Do Concur
On the version voted Apr 8, 2025: Expands the Best Beginnings child care scholarship program to child-care workers at licensed day-care centers and registered family or group day-care homes with household income under twice the state median, appropriating $5.5 million a year.