HELENA, Mont. — Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen met with nearly two dozen business leaders from western Montana on Wednesday at the State Capitol. Members of the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce met with Secretary Jacobsen to discuss her roles and responsibilities in state government, especially as they pertain to assisting businesses across Montana.
“I’m proud of the work we have done in the Secretary of State’s Office to help businesses like yours thrive,” Secretary Jacobsen told the group, which consisted of leaders in the healthcare, banking, media, and other fields. “We’ve increased efficiencies, cut and eliminated fees, and made it easier for businesses to go about their day-to-day operations to positively impact their communities.”
Secretary Jacobsen highlighted the office’s transition to being the first in the nation to go completely digital with business filings, allowing business owners to file and access their documents 24/7. Several of the Bitterroot business leaders in attendance expressed their appreciation for the online filing system, while several more shared gratitude with the Secretary for reducing and eliminating business-related fees.
Since taking office in 2021, Secretary Jacobsen has cut registration fees for new Montana businesses in half and waived the annual report filing fee for all Montana businesses in 2024 and 2025. Montana has had record new business growth in Secretary Jacobsen’s first four years in office, with roughly 64,000 new registrations in 2024. In 2023, Secretary Jacobsen received the “Elevation Award” from the Mountain States Policy Center (MSPC) for making it easier to do business in the Treasure State.
Secretary Jacobsen also discussed her role on the Montana Land Board, explaining how her votes have increased and protected public lands while generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for Montana schools. She also emphasized the importance of Montana’s elections, including the “epic 2024 election cycle” that the state conducted last fall.
Business leaders also asked Secretary Jacobsen and their local legislators, Representatives David Bedey, Greg Overstreet, and Terry Nelson, various questions.
“Thank you to the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce and its members for traveling to our beautiful State Capitol to meet with their elected officials and to visit about the topics impacting them,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “It was great to hear from these leaders and understand what drives their local businesses.”
“Thank you all for doing business in Montana!” she added.
