Governor Gianforte Safeguards Protections for Montana Women and Girls
Governor Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 121 into law, preserving the legal definition of women as distinct from men and safeguarding single-sex spaces like domestic violence shelters, locker rooms, correctional facilities, and sleeping quarters. He also signed House Bill 300 to ensure fairness and integrity in girls’ and women’s sports.
In May 2021, the governor signed House Bill 112 into law to ban transgender athletes from competing as the gender they identify with in K-12 and collegiate sports.
Montana Cancels Women’s Wildland Firefighting Bootcamps Amid Federal Cuts
Wildland firefighting is a tough job and the industry has long struggled with worker retention. The U-S Forest Service saw a 45-percent attrition rate of wildland firefights over the last three years. Training bootcamps have helped bring new firefighters especially women into the fold in recent years but federal cuts could threaten that progress. Montana saw its first bootcamp targeting women just last year but now fourteen different scheduled women’s boot camps have been canceled. Riva Duncan Vice President Grassroots Wildland Firefighters says DEI cuts won’t help.
(Riva Duncan audio)
Montana faces four active wildfires, burning over 1,000 acres, mainly in the eastern region. The Cottonwood Fire has grown to 750 acres, while the Spring Fire is 327 acres near the North Dakota border. Dry conditions and rising winds heighten concerns as fire season approaches.
More State Farmers Voicing Opinions and Uncertainty on Tariffs/Trade War
Montana farmers are bracing for economic challenges as new U.S. tariffs on China Canada and Mexico threaten their key agricultural markets particularly wheat and lentils. Montana ranks third in U.S. wheat production and first in lentil production. Montana producers rely heavily on exports with 80% of its wheat typically shipped overseas. Retaliatory tariffs from Canada and China could undermine trade which is bringing up similar feelings and opinions of the 2018 tariff trade war that disrupted wheat markets.
Investigation finds no waste fraud or abuse by Senate president
Montana’s legislative auditor wrapped his investigation into state Senate President Matt Regier Wednesday reporting no findings of waste fraud or abuse related to the Kalispell Republican’s use of public funds. The report requested by a majority of Senate lawmakers March 6th investigated Regier’s use of a private attorney for government work dating back to the 2023 Legislature.
Lawmakers get anti-DEI bill to finish line
House Bill 215 is bound for the governor’s desk. It would eliminate gender and racial balancing for appointments in state-government boards commissions committees and councils. This week it cleared the Senate by a mostly party-line vote of 33 to 17. It cleared the House in February also by a mostly party-line vote of 58 to 41.
Wildfires burn over 1,000 acres in eastern Montana
There are currently four active wildfires in Montana burning over 1,000 acres primarily concentrated in the eastern part of the state. Montana has had ongoing dry conditions since December and weather conditions are a concern with winds rising in the eastern region. As fire season approaches the possibility of an early start remains a concern and so monitoring of these fires and drought conditions will continue in the coming weeks.
Montana tribes receive grant to boost tourism projects
Three tribal governments in Montana will share over $122,000 in grant funding aimed at enhancing local tribal tourism assets and economies. The funding is part of the state Department of Commerce’s Tribal Tourism Grant Program. It assists with the development or improvement of shovel-ready tourism industry projects such as niche product development visitor facilities and venue upgrades and construction.
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Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks released the 2025 Montana Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Plan Wednesday wrapping up a public process to capture updates to wolf management strategies and research into a new plan. The final plan establishes that 450 wolves would ensure 15 breeding pairs. It also reflects the current depredation prevention and response program.
The Montana Legislature is working to update the state’s name image and likeness laws to comply with the NCAA’s new regulations which would allow student-athletes to be directly paid by institutions. The update is found in a Senate bill which was approved by the Senate in February. It still needs to be approved by the House of Representatives and signed by Governor Gianforte to become law.
Montana receives about $38 million every year from the federal government for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program but typically spends well under half of it. Because they accumulate at the start of fiscal year 2025 the state had about $105 million of unspent money.
Billings is moving forward with the sale of its retail space on the ground floor of the Park 1 parking garage downtown. TD Properties has agreed to pay for six commercial suites which total about 16,044 square feet in the building. The city will retain the 149,976-square-foot parking garage.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are looking to upgrade by buying a house in Montana. According to Radar Online dot com the couple is said to be looking to lay down their roots in the Treasure State amid rumors they have already become engaged. According to one source Big Sky Country is their happy place.
