Government
News from Mara Silvers Montana Free Press HELENA — Lawmakers, advocates and the state health department are poised to consider dozens of bills during the 68th Legislature to reform parts of the child protection and foster care systems. Stakeholders say the issue will likely be a defining policy priority of the session and an arena well-suited for bipartisan compromise. Montana has a rate of child removal that’s between two and three times the national average, according to the latest national estimates. The Department of Public Health and Human Services, which investigates child neglect and abuse, reports that the state’s child removals and foster care caseloads ha...
News from the office of Governor Gianforte HELENA — A top priority in his Budget for Montana Families, Governor Gianforte’s proposal to reform the state’s business equipment tax to help small businesses, as well as family farms and ranches, received widespread support in a legislative ...
News from the office of Governor Gianforte HELENA — Governor Greg Gianforte recently celebrated the end of the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate on members of the U.S. Armed Forces. “President Biden’s military vaccine mandate created an unnecessary national...
News from the office of Governor Gianforte HELENA — Governor Greg Gianforte today called on legislators to provide Montanans with $2,000 in property tax rebates and permanent, long-term income tax relief without delay. “We want to provide Montana homeowners with $2,000 in property tax reb...
News from DPHHS Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) officials are reminding Montanans the free Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Shopper App is available to help families with their grocery shopping. “We want to ensure that WIC recipients have what they need, and the app is ...
As lawmakers meet to cultivate Montana’s next crop of laws this winter, there are more ideas flying around the Capitol than any single person can possibly keep track of. As is a longstanding tradition at the Legislature, they range the gamut from wise to bonkers — some of them trivial measures an...
HELENA — As the 68th Montana Legislature gets into full swing in Helena, party leaders say affordable housing, the cost of living, access to childcare and reducing red tape will be some of the top issues lawmakers will attempt to tackle in the 90-day session. Republicans hold control of the go...
News from Senator’s Tester office U.S. Senate — Following sustained efforts from U.S. Senator Jon Tester, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today proposed a rule in the Federal Register to waive copayments incurred on or after Jan. 5, 2022, for certain care received by American Indian ...
MONTANA — An amended set of rules to govern the Montana House of Representatives passed Wednesday afternoon after heated debate within the Republican caucus. The new set of rules, in addition to making a number of technical changes, will lower the number of votes required to pull tabled bills ...
HELENA – After banning TikTok on state devices, for state business, and while connected to the state network, Governor Greg Gianforte today urged the Board of Regents to support efforts by Commissioner of Higher Education Clay Christian to take similar action within the university system. “The...
