Legislators heard a bill Monday that would increase DUI penalties for repeat offenders. House Bill 542 would make it so that a third dui conviction is a felony offense. Currently under state law standard DUIs are not a felony until the fourth offense. The Legislative Service Division estimates around 400 cases a year that would currently be charged as misdemeanors would now be felonies under the bill.
Montana’s Republican-led Legislature and governor appear ready to keep the state’s Medicaid expansion program in place beyond its scheduled end date this summer. It easily passed a bill to make the Medicaid expansion program permanent and House Bill 245 passed the first of two votes required for Senate approval.
After being tabled in committee two top priorities of the Montana American Indian Caucus were revived and look likely to pass the Senate after preliminary votes Monday. One bill would add more accountability to how public school districts use Indian Education for All funds. Another would renew and strengthen Montana’s version of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act.
House Bill 395 which has passed the House and is now heading to the Senate would amend the current definition of a “penal institution” to include facilities like the Montana State Hospital which houses convicted felons. The legislation comes after a lawsuit filed last October by Disability Rights Montana argued patients should retain their voting rights because Warm Springs is not classified as a penal institution. This change would impact many whom are involuntarily detained and serving sentences for felonies.
Montana’s minimum wage could be increased to $12.06 an hour for approximately 4.1% of the state’s workforce if House Bill 484 introduced to the House Business and Labor Committee Monday passes. Supporters said the state’s current $10.55 rate doesn’t match the cost of living but opponents disagreed and said the increase could increase inflation. Currently a person working 40 hours a week on minimum wage makes just shy of $1,700 a month.
A bill to prevent foreign governments banks and companies from buying up residential Montana land for sale at public auctions has passed the state Senate on second reading. Senate Bill 306 would require an entity to prove they’re based in the United States before a county treasurer is allowed to sell a residential tax lien. The bill would disallow foreign companies from buying Montana housing off auction but would not apply to foreign individuals.
Habitat for Humanity of the Flathead Valley partnering with the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust is set to break ground on a new development in Columbia Falls in mid-August. They will build 6 single-family residences that will be very similar to the pre-existing neighborhood along with a park space and a little playground in it.
Gallatin Valley residents Kathy Crawford and her late husband Thomas H. “Tim” Crawford have gifted $30 million to Montana State University the largest scholarship endowment in MSU’s history. The endowment which will support the Crawford Wildlife Habitat Scholarships, is expected to generate $1.2 million annually in scholarship funds and will aid both undergraduate and graduate students.
The Senate Ethics Committee is back in action after a brief hiatus when the criminal and ethical investigations into the actions of Senator Jason Ellsworth were referred to the Department of Justice for clarity. During Monday’s meeting committee members reviewed a list of potential witnesses voted to subpoena records and set an initial hearing for March 7th.
Big Sky Senior Services and the Adult Resource Alliance of Yellowstone County are joining forces in a strategic merger. The merger will enhance efforts to address critical challenges such as housing transportation in-home care access to essential resources food security and elder abuse prevention.
