By Clayton Murphy | UM Legislative News Service HELENA — As the Montana Legislature hits its mid-session break, a second Senate leader is in the hot seat over a contract he made before this session convened. On the eve of the first hearing on ethics allegations against former Republican Senate President Jason Ellsworth, lawmakers voted on March 6 to refer
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By Clayton Murphy | UM Legislative News Service HELENA — This week is what Montana legislators call “transmittal week” — the last five days for general policy bills from the first half of the session to pass either the Senate or House, or they are effectively dead. “Members of the Committee, we’ve got a lot of work to do today. I’m
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By Emma White | UM Legislative News Service, University of Montana School of Journalism HELENA – Legislators are considering a proposal that supporters say will help victims of sexual assault get local, timely care in rural areas by changing the source of funding for sexual assault examinations. Sponsor of the bill, Sen. Bob Phalen, R-Lindsay, said in a committee hearing on
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By Emma White | UM Legislative News Service, University of Montana School of Journalism HELENA – Proponents of a bill that would prevent local governments from enacting red-flag gun laws say these regulations are unconstitutional. But opponents say they can be important in preventing gun violence. A red-flag law, or an extreme risk protection order, is a temporary order that a judge
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By Emma White | UM Legislative News Service, University of Montana School of Journalism HELENA – When Alissa Snow began working as a lobbyist in the 2015 Montana Legislature, she was the only American Indian lobbyist in the building. Tribal nation representation within the members of the Montana Legislature has grown exponentially over the past 30 years. In 1995, there was one
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By Clayton Murphy and Emma White | UM Legislative News Service, University of Montana School of Journalism Several Property Tax Bills Emerge as Front Runners at Legislature HELENA — In early January, Gov. Greg Gianforte told lawmakers to get property tax relief bills to his desk by mid-February. Now with just a few days left before the Legislature’s halfway mark, several bills
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By Clayton Murphy | UM Legislative News Service HELENA — In early January, Gov. Greg Gianforte told lawmakers to get property tax relief bills to his desk by mid-February. Now with just a few days left before the Legislature’s halfway mark, several bills that cut at the issue in different ways are still alive. One of the highest profile bills is
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During their Feb. 24 meeting the Great Falls Public School board voted unanimously to approve the reduction in force process should it become necessary. The board budget committee meets in March to develop budget recommendations and the board may have to cut programs, non-essential activities and/or staff. The board has to declare the process ahead of the budget, should a
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By Clayton Murphy | UM Legislative News Service HELENA — Sharing sexually explicit deepfakes created by artificial intelligence could become a crime if a bill in the Montana Senate passes, an effort the bill’s sponsor says was spurred by an increasing trend of these images across the country. Senate Bill 413, carried by Sen. Laura Smith, D-Helena, had its first hearing
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By Clayton Murphy | UM Legislative News Service HELENA — An effort to protect Montana agriculture from pesticide lawsuits passed the House Agriculture Committee on Feb. 26. House Bil 522 would shield manufacturers, marketers, dealers, distributors, retailers and sellers from liability if a pesticide is labeled with a safety warning. Supporters said the bill would help farmers continue to use the
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