Lawmaker looks to ban ‘free-speech zones’ at public universities
House Bill 218, which would ban “free-speech zones” on public university campuses. The measure’s sponsor, Rep. Mike Hopkins, R-Missoula, said the bill would prevent those institutions from restricting unsanctioned speech to a designated area of campus.
Latest Government Reporting
Anti-single-family-zoning bill gets tepid reception
House Bill 134 would ban single-family zoning designations in Montana cities in an effort to boost affordability by encouraging more duplex, triplex and fourplex housing.
Biden halts new oil and gas leases on federal lands
President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order placing a moratorium on the leasing of federal land and waters for oil and gas development, making good on a campaign promise to take significant action to address climate change.
Lawmakers make another push to ban ‘sanctuary cities’
The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony on HB 200, which would require local jurisdictions to work with federal immigration agencies if a non-citizen is detained, potentially leading to that person’s deportation.
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HB 113 narrowly fails final House vote
One day after House Bill 113 survived intense debate and a major vote on the House floor, the proposal failed to clear a procedural vote Tuesday after five Republicans reversed their stances, making the final vote count 49 in favor, 51 opposed. Advocates for transgender rights hailed the change as a significant win.
Proposing new road rules for cyclists
House Bill 184 would require cyclists to wear high-visibility clothing on highways, and motorists to give cyclists at least three feet of distance when passing.
Raising teacher salaries
House Bill 143 would create financial incentives for school districts to increase the salaries of teachers in their first three years in the profession.
MTFP launches 2021 Montana Capitol Tracker
The 2021 Montana Capitol Tracker, a new digital guide from Montana Free Press, aims to help Montanans make sense of the business being conducted on their behalf during this year’s legislative session by presenting the quantifiable aspects of the Montana Legislature in an easy-to-use searchable interface.
Republican majority in House advances bills restricting abortion, transgender rights
In a tense and emotionally charged floor session, the Montana House on Monday passed four bills seeking to curtail abortion access and two that restrict the rights of transgender youth and athletes.
The Session podcast
Week 4: Capitol reporters talk about bills aimed at affordable housing, voting, and teacher pay.
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Loosening regs around killing grizzlies
Increasing numbers of bears — and bear conflicts — on the Rocky Mountain Front spark a bill to increase latitude for killing.
Gianforte: Nearly 14,000 Montanans fully vaccinated as state moves to phase 1b
As daily new COVID cases trend downward and the state enters the second phase of its vaccination plan, Gov. Gianforte said at a press conference Friday that nearly 14,000 Montanans have been fully vaccinated.
Labor rallies against ‘consent’ bill
House Bill 168, sponsored by Rep. Bill Mercer, R-Billings. The measure would revise state labor laws to establish a consent agreement for public employees granting their employers permission to collect union-associated fees. That notification would have to be renewed annually.
Transgender restriction bills advance
Lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee have passed HB 112 and HB 113, largely along party lines.
‘Keep hope alive’
A slate of bills moving through the House and Senate would build on the work of the state’s Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force.
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