Week 7: Legislative Session Update
Last week, around 150 folks from across Montana joined us at our 19th annual Policy Leadership Institute in Helena! More to come soon, but we did want to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude to all those that spent their weekend with us! PLI is always an energizing event, but this year felt especially meaningful to be in community and build skills with folks passionate about organizing a future where all Montanans' can thrive.
In other updates from this past week, Senate Bill 114 aka the "Ten Commandments Bill" died in committee, (yay)! This bill would've required mandatory display of the religious text "The 10 Commandments" in all public school classrooms.
For this week ahead, we've got range! House Bill 245 aka a bill that would continue the Medicaid Expansion in Montana, was heard in the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee today. We're monitoring developments with this one closely, and will continue to provide updates as they occur. On another note, we're pleased to see some proactive legislation being introduced this week such as House Bill 484 that would raise the minimum wage in Montana as well as House Bill 457 that would make it easier for families to get affordable childcare across the state.
Unfortunately, the increasing attacks on bodily autonomy and the emboldened extremist rhetoric from this legislative body continues to be alarming. We want to stress that these harmful bills, including the now more than seven anti-trans bills introduced this session, perpetuate misinformation and distract from the real issues Montanans' are facing like lack of affordable housing and health care. We'll continue to fight back, but for more information about these bills and how you can take action, please follow along below!
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
Healthcare
✅ House Bill 245, carried by Rep. Ed Buttrey, would continue Montana's current Medicaid program and eliminate the sunset clause, which puts an expiration date on the program. Nearly 80,000 Montanans healthcare is at risk if we do not reauthorize the Medicaid Expansion program, let alone the financial stability of rural and tribal health care providers would be at risk as well.
House Bill 245 will be heard TODAY, February 17th at 3 PM in the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee (Room 317).
LGBTQ2S+ Rights
❌ House Bill 300, also carried by Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, would effectively ban trans athletes from participating in sports in Montana public schools. House Bill 300 passed out of the House and now heads towards the Senate. Please contact your Senators and let them know that you OPPOSE HB 300. The Capitol Switchboard can be reached at 406-444-4800 on weekdays from 7:30-5 PM. You can also submit a comment here.
Whether you are a student athlete, teacher, professor, coach, or administrator we need your help in order to protect trans student athletes of all ages from facing discrimination. Please add your name to this letter opposing HB 300, which would ban transgender youth from participating in sports teams that match their gender identity.
❌ House Bill 446, carried by Rep. Jed Hinkle, would update the laws on indecent exposure -- allowing anyone to claim their 'dignity' has been violated if they find themselves in a bathroom with someone whom they believe to be trans.
House Bill 300 was heard today in the House Judiciary Committee.
Criminal Legal & Voting Rights
✅ House Bill 475, carried by Rep. James Reavis, would prohibit the use of restraints on pregnant people during labor and delivery, with two specific exceptions: when the detention center determines the inmate is a flight risk or poses a clear threat to harm themselves or others. Even in these extraordinary circumstances, leg or waist restraints are strictly forbidden. This bill protects the health and well-being of pregnant people during childbirth by limiting the use of restraints.
House Bill 475 will be heard this Wednesday, February 19th at 8 AM in the House Judiciary Committee (Room 137).
Extremism & Bodily Autonomy
❌ House Bill 377, carried by Rep. Kelly Nicol, would allow parents to access private medical records of their underage, minor children including those related gender affirming care, contraceptives, and abortive procedures. This would fully undermine the privacy of thousands of young Montanans, violating their constitutional right to privacy.
House Bill 377 was heard in the House Human Services Committee last Thursday.
❌ House Bill 380, carried by Rep. Amy Regier, would limit oversight and regulation of crisis pregnancy centers in Montana and create a free for all space where these businesses can further spread misinformation and questionable medical advice to those seeking reproductive healthcare.
House Bill 380 was heard in the House Judiciary Committee last Friday.
Pro-Democracy & Voting Rights
✅ Senate Bill 220, carried by Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, would strengthen access to voting in Indian Country in Montana. SB 220 would require at least one permanent satellite office on each reservation in Montana, determined by each tribe in consultation with county officials, requires precinct polling place notices to include locations in Indian Country and authorizes the use of nontraditional addresses as an elector's residential address for the purpose of voter registration.
Senate Bill 220 will be heard TODAY, February 17th at 3 PM in the Senate State Admin Committee.
❌ House Bill 506, carried by Rep. Brad Barker, would propose a constitutional amendment taking away the right of Montanans to vote for our MT State Supreme Court justices and instead giving that power to the Governor. HB 506 would limit Montanans' longstanding right to vote for our highest elected officials and creates a partisan process for selecting MT Supreme Court justices who we believe should stay nonpartisan and independent from the political games of partisan offices.
House Bill 506 will be heard Thursday, February 20th at 8 AM in the House Judiciary Committee.
Economic Justice
✅ House Bill 484, carried by Rep. Kelly Kortum, would revise Montana's minimum wage laws by increasing the state minimum wage from $6.15 to $12.06 per hour, removing the lower $4 minimum wage rate for smaller businesses with annual gross sales of $110,000 or less. The new minimum wage rate will still exclude the value of tips and special training wage provisions, and will be set at the higher of either the state-specified rate or the federal Fair Labor Standards Act minimum wage. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2025, which means that businesses across Montana will be required to pay all employees at least $12.06 per hour, regardless of the business's size or annual gross sales, representing a significant increase in the state's wage floor to help support workers' economic well-being.
House Bill 484 will be heard in the House Business and Labor Committee next Monday, February 24th at 8 AM in Room 303.
Education & Child Care
❌ 🔵 House Bill 320, carried by Rep. Lee Demming, would establish funding for school choice vouchers allowing households up to 300% AMI to obtain public funding for home school and non-public educational programs. These funds are often abused and undermine public education funding.
Call your Representative to let them know that you OPPOSE HB 320.The Capitol Switchboard can be reached at 406-444-4800 on weekdays from 7:30-5 PM. You can also submit a comment here.
✅ House Bill 457, carried by Rep. Jonathan Karlen, would modify the eligibility requirements for the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program by changing the income threshold for qualifying families from 185% of the federal poverty level to 85% of the state median income. Accessing child care is one of the toughest barriers for parents in entering or continuing in the workforce. This bill also includes a significant appropriation of $17 million from the general fund to the Department of Public Health and Human Services for each year of the 2025-2027 biennium to support the program. By using state median income instead of federal poverty level, the bill potentially expands access to child care scholarships for more families, making child care more affordable for a broader range of income levels.
House Bill 457 will be heard in the House Human Services Committee this Wednesday, February 19th at 3 PM.
