The Montana state Capitol building in Helena on June 16, 2023. (Matt Baldwin/Daily Inter Lake)
June 29, 2023
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Montana media organizations petition to join right-to-know lawsuit
At stake is public access to “junque files” containing back-channel communications between legislators, lobbyists and stakeholders during the drafting of bills.
Calling for a uniform fee assessment policy governing all state executive agencies
As the 69th Montana Legislature gears up to meet this winter, lawmakers are spending time thinking about policies they believe will make the state better. The Montana Transparency Project believes one straightforward option is a law standardizing fees for right-to-know requests.
Secretary Jacobsen seeks U.S. Supreme Court action on 2021 Montana election laws
Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen this week asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case involving two state election administration laws that were declared unconstitutional by the Montana Supreme Court in March.
State lawmakers pass on special session on immigration
A request to hold a special session of the Montana Legislature to address immigration failed to garner enough support from state lawmakers, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
Committee puts $240K behind moderate Republicans in legislative primaries
A political action committee with a mix of national and state money has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on mailers intended to sway voters in a series of bitterly contested Republican legislative primary elections that reveal the fissures in Montana’s dominant political party.
Dems indicate they won't participate in judicial oversight committee
Montana’s Senate president on Friday announced the appointment of three House Republicans and five Senate Democrats to the Republicans’ newly created select committee on judicial oversight and invited House Democrats to join, but the Democrats said it’s still highly unlikely they participate, calling the committee an attack on the judicial branch and saying it is unnecessary.
Parties or the people?
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Analysis shows how much road funding counties could get if SB 442 veto overridden
With the question of whether to override Gov. Greg Gianforte’s veto of Senate Bill 442 now in the hands of lawmakers, a report published this week by a Legislative Services Division research analyst details how most of the state’s counties would stand to get tens, or hundreds, of thousands of dollars to maintain their county roads if the override is successful.
More than 300 candidates file to run for Montana Legislature seats in 2024
Republicans will be on the ballot for every legislative seat in Montana this November, while Democrats were able to recruit more candidates this year than they could to run in 2022 as they hope to gain back some power after two years of a GOP supermajority.
PSC President James Brown announces campaign for state auditor
Public Service Commission President James Brown is running for Montana state auditor in 2024, he announced Thursday.
Montana lawmakers reject call for special session on taxes
A call for a special session of the Montana Legislature that would have addressed rising residential property taxes in the state has failed.
Montana Freedom Caucus asks for poll of Legislature for special session on taxes
The Montana Freedom Caucus on Monday asked the Secretary of State to poll legislators in an attempt to force a special session of the Legislature – in part to address the statewide increase in property taxes that lawmakers failed to address this past spring.
Montana Supreme Court says counties wrong on 95-mill tax issue
The Montana Supreme Court Wednesday ruled against Montana county governments in a dispute over the Montana Department of Revenue’s authority to order the full collection of the 95-mill state-level school equalization levy, a formerly obscure piece of tax bills that became a flashpoint this fall as state and local officials contended with frustration over rising property taxes.
Legislators unanimously pause rule on religious exemptions for vaccinations at child care centers
Allowing religious exemptions from vaccination requirements at childcare centers was voted down again by legislators Thursday after the proposal was included in a new rule package from the state health department.
Transgender, intersex Montanans challenge law defining ‘sex’ as binary
Attorneys for a group of transgender and intersex Montanans said this week that they have filed a lawsuit challenging a new law that enshrines binary, reproduction-based definitions for “male,” “female” and “sex” across the state’s legal code.
Former lawmakers propose ballot initiatives that would open primaries
The ballot initiatives, which are being reviewed before signature collecting can start, would make Montana primaries all open, and the top four vote-getters would advance to the general election, despite party affiliation or endorsement.
Supermajority Republicans grew Montana government and raised taxes
Less government and lower taxes. You hear that political slogan from Republican candidates early and often while they are campaigning.
Montana income tax rebate checks go out in July
Montana income taxpayers may notice extra money in their bank accounts or a rebate check in the mail in July.