Panel tables bill addressing county governments, elections

A state legislative panel on Monday shelved a bill that Lincoln County officials feared could circumvent the will of the voters, who have repeatedly rejected proposals to establish a more powerful governing body in the county.

The Senate State Administration Committee tabled House Bill 448 after it failed to pass the panel on a 5-3 vote. Sponsored by Rep. Ross Fitzgerald, R-Fairfield, it passed the House 56-44 last month.

Since its new constitution was ratified in 1972, most of Montana’s counties have opted to change from the default “elected official” form of local government to a “county commission” form, which gives the commissioners broader authority.

The bill would give commissioners in elected-official counties, such as Lincoln County, the ability to create a ballot initiative allowing the voters to choose whether to switch between partisan and non-partisan local elections. Counties with an elected official form of government are required to hold partisan elections under current state law.

During the committee’s discussion on Monday, Sen. Sue Malek, D-Missoula, argued in favor of the bill, noting it had won the support of the Montana Association of Counties during last week’s hearing.

Committee Chairwoman Sen. Dee Brown, R-Hungry Horse, countered that a separate measure, House Bill 282, already would allow counties to correct themselves if they improperly changed the type of election without also changing the type of government — as is the case in Lincoln County. Authored by Rep. Mike Cuffe, R-Eureka, it passed the Senate last week after passing the House nearly unanimously in February.

Cuffe was among several Lincoln County officials who have expressed concerns about House Bill 448, arguing that it would unnecessarily reshape the way county governments have operated for more than four decades.

Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.