A deputy Lewis and Clark County attorney who roamed the Capitol hallways as a youth and later worked at the Legislature filed Wednesday as a Democrat for the contested primary in House District 82.

Mike Menahan touted his familiarity with the state Legislature and his knowledge of state law in an interview Wednesday.

"I've worked several sessions at the Legislature and I'm very familiar with how the place works," he said. "I think that the Legislature has such a huge impact on Montanans' lives. I'd like to take part in that process, and I think I have the knowledge and experience that would make me an effective legislator."

He joins fellow Democrat Matt Cohn in the race for outgoing Rep. Hal Jacobson's seat, who's barred by term limits from re-election. No Republican has yet joined the HD 82 race.

If elected, Menahan said he would work to close the service gap for Montanans with mental illnesses, continue the Legislature's work to support renewable resources and continue state government's work to shore up education funding.

After leaving the state mental hospital, patients are left with little follow-up care or support services, Menahan said.

"There's a missing component in the infrastructure," said Menahan, who as a prosecutor regularly works with involuntary commitment cases. He also serves on the Helena Mental Health Local Advisory Council and has trained emergency responders in ways to handle situations involving residents in the midst of a mental-health crisis.

Environmental concerns are not going away, he said, and Menahan wants to work to bolster support for renewable energy resources.

"I see a lot of parallels between now and the 1970s," he said. Developers then were chomping at the bit to build new coal-fired plants in the state, and the Democratic-controlled Legislature responded with stricter environmental controls.

"The Legislature has passed tax incentives for renewable resources, and I think we need to continue to look at renewable sources of energy, particularly wind power and biofuels," he added.

He said cuts on business-equipment taxes shouldered property owners with more of the school-funding burden, a change he fears may lead to eroding public support for public education. Menahan also advocates using more money from the state's general fund to lessen the impacts of dropping enrollment in some Montana school districts.

"I'm concerned that in Montana there's an over-reliance on homeowner property taxes," Menahan said.

"I think it's crucial that the Legislature make every attempt to make higher education as affordable as possible," he added. "It's a benefit to society at large."

As a youth, Menahan watched his father -- Red Menahan, who served as a representative from Anaconda for 30 years -- work the Legislature. He also worked as an intern, bills coordinator and assistant sergeant-at-arms for three sessions during the 1980s.

He said the 2007 session was much different from what he's seen in the past. The Republican House leadership failed to follow its rules regarding the state budget process, and those actions ended up costing state taxpayers a special session, Menahan said.

"I think that I have a historical perspective from being around the Legislature as a kid ... that I'd be able to work with other legislators in the process," Menahan added.

While his primary work for the county over the past 13 years is criminal law -- Menahan prosecutes felony homicide, assault, DUI and property offenses -- he has a working knowledge of other parts of state code and the Montana Constitution. The citizens' Legislature traditionally has few lawyers in its ranks, he said, though attorneys are an important asset for putting legislators' passions into action.

Menahan was born in Helena and raised in Anaconda, though he's spent most of his life in the Queen City. He's married with two children. He's a former board member of the Friendship Center and still volunteers for the organization. He's an active board member of Grandstreet Theatre.

Click here for more information on Menahan's campaign.

Reporter Larry Kline: 447-4075 or larry.kline@helenair.com