Montana State Fund Awards $38.5 Million in Dividends to 22,000 Employers, Urges Non-Members to Join
Montana State Fund the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurance company is giving $38.5 million in dividends to the 22,000 Montana employers it covers averaging $1,741 for each one. Thursday on Voices of Montana President and CEO Holly O’Dell made the case for businesses who are not yet members of the non-profit to join.
MT State Fund President and CEO Holly O’Dell
Montana Counties and Municipalities Review Local Government Structures Ahead of Voter-Decision in 2026
Currently 12 counties and 42 municipalities are in the process of conducing reviews on how their local governments operate to find out if there should be a change to a different form which all of those in Montana can do every ten years. After doing the work voters will decide next November if they want to make a change or not. Dan Clark is with the Local Government Center at Montana State University Extension which helps the process along.
Local Gov Center at MSU Extension Dan Clark
Montana Officials Warn of Impact as Government Shutdown Threatens Expiring ACA Subsidies and Rising Healthcare Costs
As the Government Shutdown the main concern the Democrats have is the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. In Montana an estimated 90% of ACA enrollees receive the premium tax credits. Montana Insurance Commissioner James Brown talks about that and the increasing costs of health insurance premiums.
MT Insurance Commissioner James Brown
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- Little Big Horn College in Crow Agency will host a symposium on November 12 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Crow Treaty of 1825, known as the “Friendship Treaty,” which was the first treaty between the Crow Nation and the U.S. government. The event will be held in the Cultural Building next to the library from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and is free with food provided. The symposium aims to educate tribal members and the public about the treaty’s historical significance, noting that while the treaty did not transfer Crow land, it eventually led to the loss of tribal territory in subsequent decades.
- A new Montana Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, established by the Republican-led Legislature, is set to evaluate district and Supreme Court judges. Criticized for including politically connected appointees, the commission aims to increase transparency and provide fair assessments of judges, with initial evaluations to be public. The effort is part of broader legislation intended to address perceived judicial bias and improve voter understanding of judicial candidates. The 11-member commission includes appointments from the governor, legislative leaders, and the chief justice, representing diverse voter interests.
- The Transparent Election Initiative (TEI), supported by political figures from both parties, filed a petition with Montana’s Supreme Court to challenge the rejection of their proposed constitutional amendment aimed at eliminating “dark money” in elections. The Montana Attorney General’s office rejected the initiative, citing it contains too many legal changes to be presented as a single proposal. TEI seeks to place the measure on the 2026 ballot to restrict corporate and undisclosed donor money in campaigns, but legal hurdles remain.
