The biennial legislative session starts in January and legislators met Tuesday to propose changes to the rules that will dictate how they operate over the 90-day term. Joint Rules Committee members voted not to implement a proposal that would have banned transgender women from using the women’s bathroom reserved for legislators between the House and Senate chambers. The rules package they advanced will be debated and voted on by the full House and Senate after the session starts January 6th.
Montana is experiencing a population surge that has driven home prices up faster than in any other state. Over the past five years Montana’s median home listing prices have surged by 85%. Between 2010 and 2020 Montana’s population grew by nearly 10% while housing construction lagged increasing by just 7%. From 2020 to 2023 the state’s population expanded by an additional 5%.
The summer of 2024 presented another active fire season especially across Southeastern Montana and Northwestern Wyoming. In late August the Remington Fire started in Wyoming and crossed into Montana burning thousands of acres. In response the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation reactivated its Wildfire Relief Fund and has raised over $1 Million In donations for affected ranchers. The Montana Stockgrowers Association will celebrate 140 years today through Friday at its annual convention in Billings.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen led a coalition of 28 states in filing a brief Tuesday in defense of American gun manufacturers that Mexico blames for its gun violence problems. The states are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a lower court’s ruling that the say would bankrupt American firearm manufacturers and disarm law abiding Americans. Congress established protections for firearm companies from being held liable for the criminal misuse of their products in the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
The Legal Services Corporation is awarding Montana Legal Services Association a Technology Initiative Grant in the amount of $275,706. Montana Legal Services Association will use it to improve legal resources for low-income Montanans. Since 2000 the program has distributed annual grants to legal services providers across the United States. This year Legal Services is awarding 31 grants totaling $5.9 million to organizations in 22 states.
According to Montana’s latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey 43% of responding high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless for two or more weeks in a row and more than a quarter had seriously considered suicide the highest annual rate since 1991. Educators often point to rising rates of youth anxiety and depression as a contributor to the steady decline in statewide academic performance. Even outside the K through 12 system support for students in Montana’s more rural communities may be dozens if not hundreds of miles away.
At the end of November in Montana there were 51 openings for special education teachers. Montana State University education students interested in pursuing a special education teaching certificate can begin taking classes toward it in the spring 2025 semester. A report on the state’s teacher shortage last year identified special education as one of the top three critical shortage areas in Montana.
The Great Northern Development Corporation in Wolf Point has been awarded $1,383,928.58 from the Montana Department of Commerce’s Tourism Development and Enhancement Revolving Loan Fund Program. It will support tourism-related businesses across northeastern Montana offering competitive loan options that help businesses start expand and thrive in the region.
The Jack Lincoln Memorial Clinic in St. Regis is now operated by Mineral Community Hospital after its medical director Dr. Randy Lovell decided to focus on his practice in Thompson Falls. Since opening in 2015 the clinic has provided health care via appointment or walk-in with denial to no one without insurance or the ability to pay.
Construction on Montana Food Bank Network’s new warehouse by the Missoula airport is well underway and is ahead of schedule. It will be double the size of the existing facility able to house 1,600 pallets of food and will also have an office space for staff members with room for a potential increase in staff.
