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Rosendale calls BLM ‘activist organization’ ahead of hearing on land conservation proposal
Congressman Matt Rosendale continued to deride the Department of Interior and its efforts to better conserve public lands and protect natural resources in a House subcommittee hearing Wednesday a day before a public hearing on a newly proposed rule on conservation and landscape health. “It’s clear that [the Bureau of Land Management] has turned into […]
Lawmakers ask for reconsideration of legal opinion on poll override of marijuana revenue bill veto
A bipartisan group of lawmakers including the two minority leaders and Sen. Mike Lang is disputing the determination from the Legislative Services Division that lawmakers are unable to conduct a poll to try to override the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 442 because of the timing of the veto and the Senate’s adjournment. In the […]
Judge grants temporary restraining order against Montana abortion restriction bill
A Lewis and County District Court judge granted a temporary restraining order Thursday blocking the newly signed bill that puts a ban on most dilation and evacuation abortions in Montana and set a hearing for next Tuesday to consider a preliminary injunction in the case. Judge Mike Menahan wrote in his ruling Thursday morning that […]
Gianforte signs Montana TikTok ban, directs agencies to ban apps linked to foreign adversaries
Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill Wednesday that is likely to make Montana the first state to ban the popular social media app TikTok and directed executive agencies to stop allowing employees to use any social media apps linked to U.S. foreign adversaries on state-owned devices or for state business. “Today, Montana takes the most […]
Gianforte signs additional abortion restriction bills; one court challenge already refiled
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed four more bills this week targeting abortion access, including one that is already being challenged in court, just days after the state Supreme Court again affirmed that abortion is protected under the state constitution’s right to privacy. Chief among the measures he signed Tuesday is House Bill 721, sponsored by […]
Audit of FWP’s bonus point system finds it working fairly, but better public communication needed
An audit of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ bonus points system found the points were being awarded and determined fairly and as required by law, but that there was also some confusion among hunters and even department employees about the system, and some data cleanup issues, that FWP has agreed to address. The bonus points […]
Judge tells lawyers to prepare for trial in Montana climate change lawsuit
A Lewis and Clark County District Court judge told attorneys for the state and for a group of young Montanans suing over Montana’s fossil fuel policies and stance that they should “prepare for trial“ in a month despite efforts by the state to get the case halted or dismissed. The state and Republican Attorney General […]
Montana Supreme Court reprimands Anaconda judge for sexual remarks made about witness
The Montana Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a Third Judicial District Court judge from Anaconda on Thursday for violating judicial ethics rules when he made sexual comments about a witness in the hallway of the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Courthouse last year. District Judge Raymond Dayton will begin a 30-day suspension without pay on Saturday and will […]
Montana housing and prison infrastructure bills await governor’s consideration
Two of the biggest legislative priorities to start the 2023 session in Montana – addressing housing and prison space and upgrades – came down to a flurry of work done in the final days to try to find compromises, though leadership from both parties said they feel the body could have done more specifically to […]
Montana teenagers, medical providers sue to block law banning gender-affirming care for minors
Two transgender Montana teenagers and their families, along with two medical providers of gender-affirming care in the state, are challenging Montana’s newly signed law that bans the treatments for minors and opens practitioners up to professional punishment and lawsuits. The American Civil Liberties Union of Montana, the national ACLU, Lambda Legal and the Perkins Coie […]
Senator asks for poll to try to override governor’s veto of marijuana revenue redistribution bill
The Republican sponsor and backers of the broadly supported bill to make changes to how Montana’s marijuana tax revenue is dispersed have asked the Secretary of State to allow the legislature to consider overriding Gov. Greg Gianforte’s veto of the measure. Gianforte’s veto of Senate Bill 442 last Tuesday came around the time the Senate […]
Montana Legislature party leadership reflects on 2023 session day after adjournment
A day after Montana lawmakers adjourned the 2023 legislative session, leadership from both parties said they were generally feeling good about the work they did over the 87 days of the session. The Republican supermajority that came to Helena with a surplus of more than $2 billion sent the governor bills on many of its […]