Week 14: Legislative Session Update
With the legislative session entering its final few and crucial weeks, we need your voice more than ever! We've highlighted a few opportunities for how you can plug in and take action this week:
Sign-Up for the Missoula Sewn and Seen: The Montana Trans Quilt Project
LIGHT-UP the Switchboard by calling 406-444-4800 to SUPPORT some criminal legal reform and housing related policy
LIGHT-UP the Switchboard by calling 406-444-4800 to OPPOSE some anti-trans and white nationalism related bills
Be sure to take action and read more below!
In solidarity,
Julia Maxon
Program Director, Catalyst Montana
Take Action
It's going to take all of us to create a Montana where there is justice, safety, and dignity for all. This means that we need YOU to take contact your legislator this legislative session.
Call the capitol switchboard at 406-444-4800
The switchboard is open 7 AM to 5:30 PM M-F
State your name, where you're located, and ask to leave a message Supporting / Opposing the bill you want to leave comment on
There's a new system for leaving message to legislators this year that does require you to create an account. You'll need to go to legmt.gov/participate
Be sure to enter in your email address and press verify to get a confirmation code. Note: you will not be able to proceed forward in the form if you do not complete this first step.
To testify virtually, go to legmt.gov/participate. Like submitting a public comment, you will need to create an account first and verify your email.
You will be able to sign up to testify two hours before the hearing.
In your testimony, be sure to say, "Chair and members of the committee, my name is [insert full name and spell out your last name] and I live in [insert place in MT]. I'm here to SUPPORT / OPPOSE [HB/SB #] for [insert your reason]. Close by saying: [Thank you for your time and please vote YES/ NO on this bill.]
Priority Bills
Key: ✅ Support ❌ Oppose 🔵 Tracking
Criminal Legal
✅ SB 217 (Rep. Daniel Zolnikov)
This bill establishes a work time credit system for probationers and parolees, allowing them to reduce their supervision period by earning one day of credit for every 40-hour workweek of eligible employment. The longer someone is under supervision, the more likely they are to violate one of the many conditions of supervision and be revoked and sent back to prison. This bill will allow for folks to earn days shortening their supervision sentence while working steady jobs.
SB 217 will be heard in the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, April 8th at 8 AM. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Representative and the House Judiciary Committee to vote YES on SB 217.
✅ SB 70 (Rep. Gayle Lammers)
The legislation allows probation and parole officers to remove a condition of supervision without objection, provided that no party, (including the sentencing court, probationer, or county attorney) objects within 14 days of being notified. People under supervision in Montana are saddled with higher numbers of conditions than people in other parts of the country, which increases the likelihood that they will violate one of them, including many that have nothing to do with their offense (such as passing--and paying for--regular urine analysis even if their offense was not substance-use related). This bill makes it easier for probation and parole officers to remove conditions quickly and easily, increasing people's chances at being successful under supervision.
SB 70 will be heard in the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday, April 9th at 8 AM. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Representative and the House Judiciary Committee to vote YES on SB 70.
✅ HJ 45 (Rep. Kerri Seekins- Crowe)
This bill requests an interim committee to conduct a comprehensive study on criminal record expungement laws and their impacts in Montana. The study will investigate the challenges faced by individuals with expunged criminal records, including legal barriers to employment and housing, discrimination based on past criminal history, and the difficulties of truly clearing one's record in the digital age. The committee will examine issues such as how expunged records are interpreted by landlords and employers, analyze recidivism rates and employment outcomes for individuals with cleared records, and explore peer support models for reentry programs. The committee is expected to report its findings to the 70th Legislature, potentially introducing legislation based on the study's recommendations to address the ongoing challenges faced by individuals with criminal histories seeking to rebuild their lives.
People with criminal convictions face enormous difficulty at finding employment and housing, and as a result experience extreme instability upon their return to their communities which can lead to a lifetime of depressed wages and an increased likelihood of reoffending. A study into these challenges and the benefits of expungement that leads to legislation to facilitate clearing people's record will help justice-involved Montanans re-enter their communities with a greater likelihood of success.
HJ 45 will be heard in the House Judiciary Committee Friday, April 11th at 8 AM. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Representative and the House Judiciary Committee to vote YES on HJ 45.
✅ HB 707 (Rep. Jane Gillette)
This bill requires the Montana Department of Corrections to consider an inmate's family attachments and their ability to maintain those connections when placing or transferring an inmate to a correctional institution outside of the state. Specifically, the bill amends existing law about out-of-state placements to add a new requirement that when the department needs to place inmates in out-of-state facilities due to overcrowding or other institutional needs, they must now take into account how the placement might impact the inmate's relationship with their family.
Keeping Montanans in Montana and close to their families, support networks, and culture is vital for their chances of rehabilitation and ensuring a successful re-entry to their communities after incarceration. Sending any Montanans out of state is bad policy, but at least this bill will help keep people with families in state, protecting both the stability of the incarcerated person and also of their family.
HB 707 will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday, April 8th at 8 AM. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Senator and the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote YES on HB 707.
Housing & Cost of Living
✅ HJ 43 (Rep. Melissa Nikolakakos)
HJ 43 is an interim study resolution, so it would ask the state to study the capacity and effectiveness of current homeless services. HJ 43 would not only consult with local governments, but also service providers, and most importantly, people with lived experiences. As we have seen multiple bills die this session that would have provided needed funds for supportive services, this resolution offers an opportunity to the 2027 legislative body on providing needed information about why coordinated homeless services are necessary and needed throughout the state.
HJ 43 will be heard in the House Human Services Committee Wednesday, April 9th at 3 PM. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Representative and the House Human Services Committee to vote YES on HJ 43.
LGBTQ+ Rights
❌ HJ 10 (Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe)
HJ 10 is a proposed joint resolution from the Montana House and Senate urging the US Congress to pass the 'Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025.' HJ 10 is just another harmful, discriminatory piece of proposed anti-trans legislation that ultimately seeks to ban trans people from playing sports.
HJ 10 will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee Friday, April 11th at 8 AM. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Senator to vote NO on HJ 10.
❌ SB 218 (Sen. John Fuller)
SB 218 is an attempt to end gender affirming care by threatening providers with a statute of limitation of 25 years for medical malpractice, adding over 20 years to the current malpractice statute. This could have some dire impacts on our health care system in Montana as some medical providers may choose to not practice in Montana under this threat.
SB 218 passed out of House Judiciary last week and will be heard on the House Floor soon. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Representative to vote NO on SB 218.
❌ SB 164 (Sen. John Fuller)
SB 164 would revise laws to twist the definition of child endangerment. The bill would add provisions to block many gender affirming treatments for individuals under 16 and criminalize parents, guardians, and medical professionals who help provide access to these.
SB 164 passed out of House Judiciary and will be heard on the House Floor soon. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Representative to vote NO on SB 164.
Anti-White Nationalism
❌ SB 525 (Sen. Theresa Manzella)
SB 525 authorizes the use of school chaplains in school districts and public charter schools. This is another blatant attempt to insert religion into public schools. Also, SB 525 allows chaplains to take the place of licensed School Counselors (NCSC/ACSC) and replaces them with self-described religious chaplains with no state mandated counseling experience or credentials.
SB 525 will be heard in the House Education Committee Wednesday, April 9th at 3 PM. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Representative and the House Education Committee to vote NO on SB 525.
❌ HB 663 (Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe)
HB 663 would prohibit institutions of higher education from using race or related characteristics in admissions, hiring, scholarships, financial aid, or any program activities. This bill also allows for a private right of action to be used by any complaintant who feels like like they were discriminated against by race. The bill essentially bans any scholarships reserved for BIPOC students.
HB 663 will be heard in the Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee Tuesday, April 8th at 3 PM. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Senator and the Sen. Education and Cultural Resources Committee to vote NO on HB 663.
❌ HB 927 (Rep. Lukas Schubert)
HB 927 establishes a mandatory reporting system for professionals and officials in Montana who become aware that an individual is not lawfully present in the United States. The bill requires a wide range of professionals, including healthcare workers, school employees, social workers, law enforcement officers, clergy members, and others, to promptly report such individuals to the Montana Department of Justice.
HB 927 will be heard on the House Floor soon for second reading. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Representative to vote NO on HB 927.
