House Votes to Delist Gray Wolves From Endangered Species List
In a vote Thursday afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would delist the gray wolf from the endangered species list nationwide. When gray wolves were initially delisted in Montana and other Western states in 2011, it was done through a similar provision.
Gray wolves were nearly eliminated from the lower 48 states by the 1970s, leading to their listing under the Endangered Species Act. H.R. 845 was introduced by Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert and co-sponsored by Montana Congressman Troy Downing. Representative Ryan Zinke also voted in favor of delisting the species.
Montana Attorney General Files Misconduct Charges Against Senator Jason Ellsworth
The Montana Attorney General’s Office filed misconduct charges against State Senator Jason Ellsworth on Thursday, following an investigation that led to his censure in April. The investigation found that a $171,000 contract awarded to Agile Analytics by Ellsworth violated a state ethics code requiring legislators to disclose potential conflicts of interest. Ellsworth represents District 43 and previously served as president of the Montana Senate.
Judge Rejects Federal Attempt to Reassess Oil Leases on Sage Grouse Habitat
The Bureau of Land Management failed this week to convince U.S. District Judge Brian Morris to allow it to reassess six leasing decisions affecting imperiled sage grouse habitat. The ruling clears a path forward for consideration of six Montana and Wyoming lease sales now at issue in a complex environmental case. The bird species is native to the western United States and Canada and has been in decline for decades due to habitat loss.
Trump Expands Access to Cannabis in Major Shift in Drug Policy
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to expedite the reclassification of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. In Montana, the shift primarily impacts the financial health of the state’s cannabis industry and federal research opportunities.
Reclassification to Schedule III allows Montana operators to deduct rent, payroll, marketing, and utilities on federal tax returns. However, it does not fully legalize recreational marijuana use at the federal level.
Superintendent Hedalen Announces Judge Grants Full Stay Allowing ESA Reimbursements
Superintendent of Public Instruction Susie Hedalen announced Thursday that a judge has granted a full stay through the end of the school year in Montana Quality Education Coalition and Disability Rights Montana v. State of Montana.
The decision allows the Education Savings Account program to continue operating for the remainder of the school year. It permits students to remain in their educational placements and provides parents with the certainty needed to plan for the rest of the year.
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The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is a state-administered initiative that helps defray the cost of heating bills during cold winter months. More than 110,000 Montana households are eligible this year, but only about 15,000 utilized the program last year.
Metal roofing on the Corvallis School District office peeled off during a windstorm that hit Western Montana this week, with gusts exceeding 80 miles per hour. The district evacuated 450 primary school students to the high school gym for dismissal and is holding classes remotely today. Repairs to the roof are currently underway.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana announced charges against Zahid Hasan of Dhaka, Bangladesh, for operating illegal online marketplaces that sold fraudulent identity documents, including Montana driver’s licenses. Hasan faces a federal indictment with nine counts, including six for transferring false identification documents.
A judge ruled Thursday that all remaining trailers at the Homestead Apartments in Park City must be removed within the next three weeks. The decision follows years of lawsuits involving the property owner, the Stillwater County Health Department, and the Park City Sewer and Water Board. The lawsuits allege sewer leaks at the Homestead property were contaminating the water table.
Tickets for the first-ever playoff matchup between the University of Montana Grizzlies and the Montana State University Bobcats on Saturday are hovering between $400 and $3,700. The prices have upset some fans, who object to Montana State’s decision to sell seats to season ticket holders rather than offering them to the general public first.
