People and organizations that wanted to influence the 2019 Montana Legislature spent at least $6.5 million on those efforts during and after the session, according Montana Public Radio.

MPR reporter Corin Cates-Carney worked many hours during and after the legislative session to calculate spending on food, beverages and entertainment for legislators and salaries for lobbyists. Most of the lobbyists represented Montana businesses or organizations, according reports on the commissioner of political practices website, but out-of-state businesses and interest groups also spent tens of thousands of dollars trying to influence lawmakers.