Governor Greg Gianforte signed two bills into law Monday to help address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons in Montana. House Bill 35 establishes a review commission at the Montana Department of Justice. House Bill 98 extends the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Task Force and the Looping in Native Communities grant p...
Special Committee To Investigate Judicial Emails Independently From Supreme Court
Governor Greg Gianforte and the Legislature are locked in a legal battle over a new law giving the governor sweeping powers to appoint judges. James Bradley from the University of Montana Legislative News Service reports Gianforte signed Senate Bill 140 in March and a bipartisan group for former state legislators challenged it. The Supreme Cou...
Billings Mayor Announces New Telecommunications Provider For City
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a broad range of flexibilities today to allow school meal programs and childcare institutions to return to serving healthy meals as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to reopen schools safely. Schools nationwide including those in Montana will be allowed to serve meals through the USD...
Montana Cities Ranked High For Starting New Businesses
With National Small Business Week approaching and COVID-19 having caused around 100,000 permanent business closures in 2020 the personal finance website Wallet Hub today released its report on 2021’s best small cities to start a business. Bozeman ranks 10th and Missoula comes in at number 14 on the best small cities list to start a business. W...
Yellowstone Valley Gives Celebrates Sixth Annual Fundraiser
Governor Greg Gianforte signed a bill Monday to expand access to telehealth services that were originally extended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It permanently lifts requirements like an established relationship between a patient and doctor in several cases as well as restrictions on geographic proximity and location restrictions for patie...
FCC Ranks Montana Near Bottom In Broadband Access
According to a 2021 report from the Federal Communications Commission Montana was the 46th ranked state for broadband access. Currently, the spending bill to direct federal COVID money in Montana has set aside $275 million for the broadband program. Expanding broadband infrastructure has emerged as a top priority in the 67th Legislative Sessio...
Gianforte Signs Trade Education Bill Into Law
Governor Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 252 into law Monday that will help businesses hire and train skilled workers. The Montana Trades Education Credit provides $1 million per year in 50% tax credits to businesses for qualified training and education expenses. The almost $3 trillion American Rescue Plan was a topic of discussion on Voices ...
Legislative Session To Resume After COVID-19-Related Cancellation
Today the Capitol will be back to normal as far as the 67th Legislative Session is concerned after floor sessions and several committee hearings were cancelled last Thursday because of a lobbyist having COVID-19 and the related exposure to legislators but no lawmakers have tested positive. All legislators who are close contacts to the lobbyist...
Montana Department Of Justice Completes Assessment Of Meth Use In Montana
A needs assessment that was completed late last year by the Montana Department of Justice but has yet to be made public provides insight into the state’s battle with methamphetamine from the perspectives of 99 former users. The Daily Interlake reports the assessment comes roughly two years after the justice department noted the number of...
Marijuana Amendments Make Way To Committee
Today senators on a special legislative committee are scheduled to roll three bills into one and build Montana’s recreational marijuana program. James Bradley from the University of Montana Legislative News Service reports Hamilton Republican Senator Jason Ellsworth is the committee chair tasked with implementing the legalization of recreation...