In: News Headlines

Montana ranks 42nd in the nation for average teacher salary but House Bill 252 aims to revise school funding laws and formulas to improve teacher pay and housing affordability. The STARS Act’s primary goal is to increase teacher wages to be competitive with surrounding states and to accommodate rising inflation costs. The Student and Teacher Advancement for Results and Success Act is one of several bills this session targeting public education improvements.

Taxpayers will be on the hook for the state’s refusal to follow a Montana Supreme Court order saying the 2021 Legislature passed Senate Bill 280 saying official state documents like birth certificates couldn’t be changed without an unspecified surgery or court order was unconstitutional. Seven ACLU attorneys who worked on the case for over four years have sent invoices totaling $725,916. Yellowstone County District Court Judge Colette Davies will decide what portions of the attorneys for the ACLU side are reasonable and consistent with legal rates in Montana.

In 2024 the state Supreme Court affirmed that the Montana Environmental Policy Act is essential to upholding Montanans’ constitutional right to a “clean and healthful environment.” With the 69th Legislative session underway a handful of bills are looking to put limitations on the MEPA review process and clarify its use as a procedural not regulatory statute. MEPA is a section of Montana law dating back more than 50 years that requires environmental reviews of government projects that have                    the potential to impact the quality of the human environment.

A Senate Ethics committee investigation into former Montana Senate leader Jason Ellsworth will take most of February if not longer to ensure the Hamilton Republican is afforded time for a defense. He is accused of splitting a $170,100 contract awarded to a business associate in two in order to avoid a state law requiring contracts of $100,000 or more to be competitively bid. Monday marked its second meeting during which it produced a list of 14 witnesses including current Senate President Matt Regier.

According to newspaper groups and publishers President Donald Trump’s potential 25% tariffs on Canada could be devastating to newspapers especially community publications in small towns. 80% of newsprint the paper product used by newspapers and other publications is produced in Canada and there is not enough U.S. production capacity to fill the void. Canadian sourced newsprint has been an essential component in allowing small publishers to stay in business.

When the Habitat Conservation Lease Program started two years ago Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks set a goal of conserving 500,000 acres within five years. With the recent completion of 13 leases and the potential for 33 proposed leases now under consideration FWP is nearly halfway to reaching that goal. A habitat conservation lease differs from a conservation easement in that the lease agreement is a 30- to 40-year contract opposed to the permanent commitment of an easement.

Montana wildlife officials completed a record number of tests for Chronic Wasting Disease this hunting season. Fish Wildlife and Parks tested more than 9,000 samples since the fall and 3 percent came back positive. Testing for CWD helps wildlife managers keep an eye on where the disease is occurring and estimate its prevalence.

A completed Billings water audit released Monday found the city isn’t at fault for abnormally high bills. The results came after months of confusion beginning early last summer when the city had trouble changing to a different billing software. Anyone who is still convinced their bill is inaccurate is asked to reach out to public works and walk through it with them.

Ravalli County Commissioners have approved $185,000 in Open Lands Bond funding for the Buker Ranch conservation easement preserving more Bitterroot Valley farmland. The 158-acre ranch sits to the west of Victor and has been used primarily for hay production and livestock grazing. The property’s preservation also positively impacts wildlife in the area.

The Food and Drug Administration has upgraded its classification of a broccoli recall initially reported in late December labeling it as “Class I” the agency’s most serious recall category. The Braga Fresh of Salinas California broccoli had been distributed to Walmart stores in 20 states including Montana.

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