Author

Blair Miller

Blair Miller

Blair Miller is a reporter based in Helena who primarily covers government, climate and courts. He's been a journalist for more than 12 years, previously based in Denver, Albuquerque and mid-Missouri.

Montana senators look on as votes are tallied on the second reading of Senate Bill 99 on Feb. 7, 2023.

Montana bill that would deny teens gender-affirming care passes Senate hurdle in fiery hearing

By: - February 7, 2023

Montana’s Democratic legislative leaders said Tuesday morning they would fight a bill that seeks to deny gender-affirming care to transgender children and punish medical professionals who perform it – and while the measure did pass a key hurdle in the Senate, the fight occurred, too. Following an hour of discussion, multiple calls from Democrats for […]

A student from Capital High School testifies in opposition to Senate Bill 235 on Feb. 6, 2023.

Montana students, teachers blast bill that would limit science education to ‘scientific fact’

By: - February 6, 2023

Several Montana middle- and high-school students said Monday that a lawmaker did not correctly interpret scientific theory and that his bill would ban common theories, like gravity, from being taught in schools – hampering their education and futures in STEM fields. They, along with several award-winning Montana science teachers and representatives from the Board of […]

A grizzly bear in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Feds to consider delisting grizzly bears near Yellowstone, in northwest Montana

By: - February 3, 2023

The federal government has agreed to consider removing grizzly bears from a list of endangered and threatened wildlife in northwest Montana and the Yellowstone National Park area, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Friday. The agency will conduct a yearlong study on grizzlies in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE), which includes Glacier National […]

Sen. Susan Webber, D-Browning, presents her SJ6 to the Senate on second reading on Feb. 2, 2023. The measure would call on Congress to create a national day of remembrance for children who died at Indian boarding schools.

Montana Indigenous boarding school remembrance resolution clears Senate hurdle

By: - February 2, 2023

A Montana resolution that seeks to push Congress to designate a day of remembrance for children who died at Indigenous boarding schools across the country cleared a key hurdle in the state Senate on Thursday. Senate Joint Resolution 6, sponsored by Sen. Susan Webber, D-Browning, passed second reading in a 45-5 vote and is poised […]

Montana resolution seeking Article V Convention tabled in split Senate vote

By: - February 2, 2023

A resolution that would make Montana the 20th state to request an Article V Convention to amend the U.S. Constitution is likely dead after it failed on its third reading in the Senate Wednesday. The Senate deadlocked 25-25 on its final vote on Senate Joint Resolution 2 a day after the measure narrowly passed on […]

Dozens of people packed the Capitol rotunda in Helena on Feb. 1, 2023, to call on lawmakers to stop trying to amend the Montana Constitution.

Citizens rally at Montana Capitol, demand lawmakers keep hands off state Constitution

By: - February 1, 2023

Montanans packed the rotunda at the state Capitol on Wednesday calling for lawmakers to “keep their hands off” the state Constitution — in part, they said, because Republican legislators this session have so far requested as many amendment proposals as have been referred to voters over the past 50 years. “To make America great again […]

Proponents of Senate Bill 208 line up to testify in favor of the measure at the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee on Jan. 31, 2023.

Montana bill seeks to preemptively prohibit bans on energy sources

By: - January 31, 2023

Republican lawmakers in Montana want to preemptively stop any local governments from banning various energy sources amid a national conversation about gas stove bans, even though no local governments are considering such a prohibition, the sponsor said Tuesday. More than a dozen proponents spoke in favor of Senate Bill 208, sponsored by Sen. Jason Small, […]

Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, pitches his Senate Bill 176, which would change the makeup of interim committees, to the Senate State Administration Committee on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023.

Bill would give majority party more power on Montana interim committees

By: - January 30, 2023

Republicans in the Montana Legislature – where they currently hold a supermajority – want to change the makeup of interim legislative committees so the majority party has more power, which they say would simply reflect the will of voters. Senate Bill 176, sponsored by Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, would make it so four-member interim committees […]

The Montana state Capitol in Helena on Jan. 2, 2023.

Senate tables measure to repeal Montana ballot law judge found unconstitutional

By: - January 30, 2023

Senate Republicans on Monday voted to indefinitely postpone a bill that would repeal the Ballot Interference Prevention Act, which was struck down by a Yellowstone County District Court judge in 2020. The Senate voted down Senate Bill 31, sponsored by Sen. Wendy McKamey, R-Great Falls, on second reading in a 21-27 vote. Seven Republicans voted […]

Sen. Bob Fuller, R-Kalispell, testifies in favor of his Senate Bill 99 on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Opponents of Montana transgender bill say it could cripple health care, lead to more suicides

By: - January 27, 2023

A woman who testified in opposition to a Republican measure that seeks to deny gender-affirming care to transgender youth in Montana and penalize doctors and nurses who support those efforts – the third such bill over the last two sessions – said she thought about killing herself every day for 50 years before she finally […]

The Montana state Capitol in Helena shortly after sunrise on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023.

Governor’s office, bill sponsor say they’re open to phase-out for proposed Montana child tax credit

By: - January 26, 2023

The governor’s policy director and the bill sponsor said Thursday they would be open to including a phase-out at a slightly higher income level in their measure that would provide a $1,200 tax credit for each Montana child ages 5 and under. The child tax credit is one of the major proposals from Republican Gov. […]

Flandreau Indian School, South Dakota, choir. [Between 1909 and 1932]

Montana resolution calls for day of remembrance for Indian boarding school victims

By: - January 26, 2023

When Sen. Susan Webber’s relative was digging outside of Browning after the family’s well ran dry, instead of water, she said her ancestor found the unmarked graves of babies. The land they had leased to raise cattle was outside the Holy Family Mission, southeast of Browning. From 1890 to the mid-1930s, the site was one […]