Montana’s Legal Employment And Government Accountability Law Now In Effect
The Montana Department of Labor and Industry announced Tuesday it will begin enforcing the new Legal Employment and Government Accountability Law. It requires employers to verify the lawful employment status of all workers before they are hired. It will begin outreach to help businesses understand their responsibilities under HB 226 and will answer any questions related to E-Verify or acceptable I-9 documentation.
University of Montana Opts Out of NCAA Athlete Payment Plan, While Montana State Joins
In the wake of the NCAA’s new policy allowing colleges to pay athletes, the University of Montana has chosen to opt out for at least a year, unlike its rival, Montana State University, which is participating. UM’s decision, confirmed by Athletic Director Kent Haslam, comes amid concerns about legal risks and Title IX issues. Attorney Mit Winter suggests this could hinder UM’s recruiting efforts, as MSU’s ability to offer compensation gives it a significant advantage in attracting talent.
Montana Ranked Second Most Patriotic State, Announces Governor Gianforte
Governor Greg Gianforte announced Montana’s recognition as the second most patriotic U.S. state, following Virginia, ahead of Independence Day according to WalletHub’s ranking, which assessed states on 13 patriotism indicators, such as military enlistment, veteran presence, and 2024 presidential election voter participation. Gianforte praised Montana’s embodiment of freedom, integrity, and patriotism, highlighting its strong patriotic spirit.
Nontaxable federal lands still bring in paycheck for state
The U.S. Interior Department announced the amounts being paid out to Montana Tuesday for the nearly 27.5 million acres of federal land in the Treasure State. This year’s more than 46 and a half million dollars of Payments in Lieu of Taxes will help to defray the costs of maintaining important community services within the Big Sky State’s borders. Payments are calculated based on the number of acres of federal land within each county or jurisdiction and the population of that area.
Bozeman-based PERC’s proposed international visitors surcharge at national parks advancing
The Department of the Interior has plans in its recently released 2026 budget outline to implement a surcharge on international visitors to national parks nationwide. According the Bozeman-based Property and Environmental Research Center that could generate millions of dollars for park maintenance and infrastructure with minimal impact on overall attendance.
Updated tax valuations en route to Montana property owners
The updated property valuations that will be used to calculate this fall’s property tax bills are on their way to homeowners and other Montana property owners. This year’s reappraisal notices will not include an estimate of how the department’s updated property valuations will shift owners’ final tax bills when they are calculated and mailed In the fall by county treasurers.
Montana’s voter-backed constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights now in effect
Constitutional Initiative 128 that safeguards abortion access in Montana went into effect Tuesday but recently two Montana voters and a group created to oppose the ballot measure challenged it as unconstitutional. They are represented by the Montana Family Foundation which petitioned the state supreme court to hear the case directly bypassing lower courts because it says the issues presented are of statewide importance.
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The Center for Improving Youth Justice recently honored Pine Hills Correctional Facility in Miles City as a 2025 Barbara Allen-Hagen Award winner for its commitment to treating youth residents and using the Performance-based Standards model to achieve positive outcomes. Pine Hills has worked with the center since 2012 and received the award for its work over the years in reducing youth confinement.
The first joint meeting of the Belgrade City Council and the Bozeman City Commission in recent memory was held this week. Two mayors two city managers and 10 city commission and city council members sat down in Belgrade to talk about how that city and Bozeman may grow toward each other and what that might mean for roads water and life in the Gallatin Valley.
The Bitterroot’s early runoff and well below normal snowpack are impacting irrigation water allotments this summer. The Bitter Root Irrigation District has alerted residents Lake Como stopped spilling water and the district has only about 60 days of irrigation water left giving them until August 23rd to irrigate.
State wildlife officials are upping local harvest quotas for whitetail deer to combat a recent outbreak of chronic wasting disease in the Flathead Valley. To date 17 samples from the district tested positive for CWD all from whitetail deer that were killed in or around the Flathead County Landfill.
Since 1953 white crosses have stood as silent sentinels along Montana highways as reminders of lives lost in traffic accidents and warnings to those who pass by to “please drive carefully.” The highway fatality markers are maintained by local American Legion Posts across Montana.
