Week 3: Legislative Session Update
As we enter the third week of the session, it is becoming clearer which priorities legislators are focusing on and the tones they are setting in the process. For this week, we have a lot of bills up in healthcare (two bills related to Medicaid Expansion), criminal legal reform, and housing/ cost of living!
Be sure to read more below about the bills we are tracking and how you can take action on the issues you care about.
We also wanted to take a moment to remind you that community care is a revolutionary act! As we weather continued attacks on our safety and dignity at the state level and new attacks from the federal level, it is more important than ever that we care for ourselves and each other. Remember you know best how to take care of your body, spirit, and mind, but if you need some inspiration we recommend:
Having a glass of water
Doing something that brings you joy
Resting regularly
Asking for help when you need it
To take care of each other, we can start by talking to our neighbors and showing up!
Learn more & share by visiting our instagram.
In Solidarity,
Julia Maxon
Program Director
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
✅ House Bill 245, carried by Rep. Ed Buttrey would eliminate the sunset clause in the Montana HELP Act which eliminates the need to reauthorize Medicaid Expansion in the future, acknowledging and enshrining Medicaid Expansion as the right thing for Montana. This bill would also revise the Montana HELP Act workforce development provisions by modifying how workforce development services are provided to individuals receiving healthcare assistance. The department would directly assist participants with workforce development services, which can include education, training, and supportive services like transportation, clothing, and equipment needed to obtain or maintain employment.
House Bill 245 will be heard in the House Human Services Committee on Wednesday, January 22nd at 2 PM
✅ House Bill 230, carried by Rep. Mary Caferro reduces barriers to accessing the Medicaid program and fixes administrative hurdles for folks with lower incomes from accessing the program. HB 230 would comprehensively revise Montana's Medicaid laws to improve healthcare access and service delivery.
House Bill 230 will also be heard in the House Human Services Committee on Wednesday, January 22nd at 2 PM For both of these bills, please sign-up to testify in SUPPORT of HB 245 and HB 230.
Criminal Legal
❌ House Bill 173, carried by Rep. Neil Duram, revises the definition of "victim" in the Montana Youth Court Act to expand who can be considered a victim of a youth's actions to include businesses, corporations or other legal entities, in addition to individual people, thereby making them eligible for restitution. Not only is restitution linked to higher rates of recidivism, financial obligations like restitution often end up falling on the family, since youth don't have incomes, diverting resources away from basic necessities and further plunging low-income families into cycles of debt and poverty.
House Bill 173 was heard Monday, January 20 in the House Judiciary Committee. Call your Representative and the House Judiciary Committee and let them know that you OPPOSE House Bill 173.
❌ House Bill 205, carried by Rep. Shannon Maness, would effectively reinstate the death penalty in Montana and proposes to broaden the law of which substance Montana has to use in executions. While the death penalty is still on the books, it has not been in use since a 2015 judicial ruling that found that the required cocktail acted too slowly and since many producers stopped making that specific drug. This bill would effectively shift the specific requirement for “ultra-fast-acting barbiturate in combination of a chemical paralytic agent” to the more general requirement of "a single intravenous injection of a lethal substance or substances". This broadening of the language to "substance or substances" has led to botched executions in other states.
House Bill 205 will be heard Tuesday, January 21st in the House Judiciary Committee at 8 AM. Call your Representative and the House Judiciary Committee and let them know that you OPPOSE House Bill 205.
Housing & Cost of Living
✅ House Bill 154, carried by Rep. Jonathan Karlen, would be a new housing tax credit that provides tax relief on a sliding scale based on household income. The credit targets both homeowners and renters with a household income less than $150,000. HB 154 provides needed property tax assistance in an effective, targeted way to Montanans who need it most, including those living on fixed incomes. Even better, this assistance will extend to renters as well which is what makes this bill so effective.
House Bill 154 will be heard TOMORROW, January 21st in the House Tax Committee at 8 AM. Call your Representative and the House Tax Committee and let them know that you SUPPORT House Bill 154. The Capitol Switchboard can be reached at 406-444-4800 on weekdays from 7:30-5 PM. You can also submit a comment here.
✅ Senate Bill 126, carried by Sen. Mary Ann Dunwell would clarify what constitutes normal wear and tear to a rental, limits the amount landlords may charge for cleaning labor, and specifies that security deposits may not be used to pay paint or recarpeting after tenancies of more than two years. SB 126 would also standardize the timeline for any actions regarding deposit returns to three weeks (21 days). This will hopefully clarify one of the most unclear aspects of renting in Montana for the benefit of both renters and landlords.
Senate Bill 126 will be heard Tuesday, January 21st in the Senate Judiciary Committee at 8 AM. Call your Senator and the Senate Judiciary Committee and let them know that you SUPPORT Senate Bill 126.
❌ Senate Bill 101, carried by Sen. Becky Beard is a bad bill for renters. This bill has two parts. The first is duplicative of existing trespass laws but upgrades the offense to a misdemeanor and also provides an avenue for landlords to circumvent eviction proceedings. The second part criminalizes the fraudulent selling of a property that the seller does not own. We oppose the first part, but are okay with the second. This bill circumvents the authority of the courts regarding eviction processings by allowing landlords to call law enforcement immediately for an action of possession. Similiar bills have passed in the South and seem to also be tied to anti-immigrant priorities.
Senate Bill 101 will be heard Tuesday, January 21st in the Senate Judiciary Committee at 8 AM. Call your Senator and the Senate Judiciary Committee and let them know that you OPPOSE Senate Bill 101. The Capitol Switchboard can be reached at 406-444-4800 on weekdays from 7:30-5 PM. You can also submit a comment here. We are also asking folks to sign up and testify remotely or in-person.
LGBTQ+ Rights
❌ House Bill 121, carried by Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe was heard in the House Judiciary Committee last Friday. This bill would effectively ban trans people from using restrooms or public facilities that align with their gender identity. HB 121 did pass second reading on the house floor on a party line vote of 58-42.
House Bill 121 is scheduled for a third reading and then will head towards the Senate side. Call your Senator and let them know that you OPPOSE HB 121
❌ SB 164, sponsored by Sen. John Fuller would criminalize parents, caregivers, and medical providers who support children in accessing gender-affirming health care.
SB 164 has been assigned to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee, but has not been given hearing date or time. This is a bill we are closely tracking -- we will send updates as they become available.
