Week 15: Legislative Session Update
The past few months have without a doubt, been eventful. This week wasn't any different with some key developments and a few wins in LGBTQ+ rights, Criminal Legal Reform, and Pro-Democracy realms.
We celebrated a significant victory with the House's 40-58 defeat of SB 164, a bill that would have banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Notably, 17 Republicans voted against the measure, bringing us closer to a more inclusive Montana.
On a less celebratory note, SB 218 and HB 446, two anti-trans bills, passed in the House and Senate. However, both were amended to lessen their harm to trans people. Additionally, we saw another anti-trans bill pass. Despite powerful speeches from Representatives SJ Howell and Zooey Zephyr, SB 437, a "define sex" bill, passed out of the House on Friday and is headed to the Governor's desk even though a very similar bill heard that was heard last session and then in court was recently ruled unconstitutional.
In Criminal Legal Reform, we did see a win with the passage of HB 475 (restricting restraints on pregnant people who are incarcerated) in the Senate -- it's now heading to the governor's desk!
Concerning Pro- Democracy, HB 838 (a bill that would've allowed MT Supreme Court Justice Candidates to claim a political party) failed to pass on a 46-54 vote.
Lastly, we wanted to highlight a powerful podcast episode our Senior Organizer, Dillon did with our friends at Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies - MT speaking to the power of storytelling -- please check it out. You can find the link here.
Thanks for making your voices heard. Be sure to continue to take action by reading 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
Health Care
✅ HB 185 (Rep. Ed Stafman)
This bill aims to establish continuous health insurance eligibility for children under 6 years old in Montana's Healthy Montana Kids (HMK) plan. Recognizing that fluctuations in family income can cause children to lose and regain health coverage multiple times, the legislation proposes providing 1 year of continuous eligibility from the date of initial enrollment or re-enrollment, or until the child turns 6, whichever comes first. The bill highlights several key benefits of this approach, including more consistent access to preventive healthcare, improved health outcomes, potential reduction in healthcare costs, and better early identification of developmental concerns.
Even a small gap in health coverage can lead to children not receiving the care they need in their young development. This bill would ensure that kids stay covered even when their parents' income(s) might make them ineligible at some point in the year.
HB 185 was heard yesterday in Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Senator to vote YES on HB 185
Economic Justice
✅ HB 456 (Rep. Jon Karlen)
This bill expands the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program to include child care workers employed at licensed day-care centers or registered family or group day-care homes. Currently, the program provides scholarships to low-income families, and this bill adds child care workers as eligible recipients. The goal is to support child care workers by helping them afford further education or offsetting their own child care costs, which could potentially help address workforce challenges in the child care sector by making the profession more financially viable for workers.
This bill would help hire and retain child care worker who are chronically underpaid and thus stabilize the child care sector as a whole by keeping more workers in this profession.
HB 456 will be heard in the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee this Thursday, April 16th at 3 PM. Call the switchboard and ask the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee to vote YES on HB 456.
Housing & Cost of Living
❌ HB 940 (Rep. Anthony Nicastro)
While Rep. Overstreet still holds the title for worst houseless policy bill with HB 642, Rep. Nicastro made a swipe for the crown with HB 940. This bill bans camping anywhere on state lands that is attached to a highway, which includes under bridges, in ditches, or nearby fields. Violation of this law is a $50 penalty, which only adds to the litany of other bills and ordianances that criminialzie being unhoused.
As with all of these anti-houseless bills, the effect of further criminalizing the unhoused only prevents us from finding real solutions, and continues to keep our neighbors without housing.
HB 940 will be heard in the Senate Highway and Transportation Committee Wednesday, April 16th at 3 PM. Call the switchboard and ask the Senate Highway and Transportation Committee to vote NO on HB 940
Anti-White Nationalism
✅ HB 361 (Rep. Connie Keogh)
This bill establishes a comprehensive funding and support system for English language learners (ELLs) in Montana's public schools. The legislation creates two primary mechanisms: first, it provides state matching funds to school districts receiving federal subgrants for ELL programs. Second, the bill introduces professional stipends for teachers with specialized certifications in serving ELL students, offering annual stipends ranging from 50% to 85% of the state's quality educator payment amount, with additional financial incentives for teachers working in high-poverty or impacted schools.
HB 361 will be heard in the Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee Wednesday, April 15th at 3 PM. Call the switchboard and ask the Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee to vote YES on HB 361
