Diane Sands

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Rep. Diane Sands

Member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 95^th district
In office 2006 – present
Preceded by	Tom Facey
Member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 66^th district
In office 1996 – 1998

Born	March 23, 1947 (1947-03-23) (age 61) St. Ignatius, Mont.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ann Mary Dussault
Residence	Missoula, Montana

Diane Sands (born March 23, 1947) is an American politician from Montana. A Democrat, she serves in the Montana House of Representatives, representing the 95th house district, based in Missoula.

Born in St. Ignatius, Montana, Sands obtained a B.A. from the University of Montana before doing graduate work at George Washington University in Washington, D.C..

Sands began her career in the Montana State Legislature in 1996, when she was appointed by the Missoula County Commission to fill the vacant 66th district seat in the House of Representatives. She was elected to a full term, without opposition, in November 1996 but left the legislature in 1998 when her job forced her to move to Oregon. She wasn't away long, though; returning to Montana in December 1999.

In 2006, when Rep. Tom Facey (D–Missoula) was termed out after eight years in the House, Sands ran to succeed him in the renumbered 95th district. She faced no primary opposition and defeated her Republican opponent by 60% to 40%.^[1] Assuming she is re-elected, she will be termed out of the House in 2012.^[2]

A lesbian, she was the first ever openly gay member of the Montana Legislature. She now serves alongside one other LGBT legislator, Sen. Christine Kaufmann (D-Helena).^[3] Her 1996 campaign won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.^[4]

Her partner, Ann Mary Dussault, also once served in the Montana legislature. Taking office in 1975, she served four terms and was the first female majority leader in the nation. She would go on to serve on the Missoula County Commission. She was not openly gay at the time.^[5]