Digital ID use expands in Montana, but physical ID still recommended Montana has approved the use of digital IDs, allowing residents to add their state ID to their mobile devices. The digital IDs are being accepted at participating airport TSA checkpoints, and county offices can now accept them for tasks requiring identification. While the tec...
With SNAP Cuts Looming, Gianforte Says Montana Won’t Pay to Maintain Food Assistance Benefits Governor Greg Gianforte announced that he will not authorize state dollars to cover the cost of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which will run out of funds starting Saturday. The lapse will leave many Montanans without th...
Attorney General Rejects ‘Anti-Dark Money’ Ballot Initiative, Saying It Has Too Many Parts Attorney General Austin Knudsen on Friday rejected a proposed ballot initiative aimed at ending corporate money in Montana political campaigns, saying it is legally insufficient. The initiative’s primary advocate, former State Commissioner of Political P...
Montana’s legal marijuana market brought in nearly $87 million during the third quarter of 2025 Retailers recorded $30.05 million in marijuana sales this past August — the first time monthly sales have topped $30 million since legalization began in 2022 — and closed September with $27.83 million. Those figures bring the year-to-date total to $...
Hundreds of Ballots Rejected Following New Law Requiring Voters to Write Birth Year on Ballot Envelopes A new Montana law requiring voters to include their birth year on ballot envelopes has led some county election officials to reject a number of ballots during this year’s local elections. The change stems from House Bill 719, passed by the 2...
Food assistance on the chopping block for Montanans next month if shutdown persists Nearly 78,000 Montana residents who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy groceries may soon be forced to go without. The state health department has been directed by the federal government to withhold SNAP benefits starting in Nov...
NorthWestern Plans ‘Large Load’ Tariff for Montana Data Centers According to filings with the Montana Public Service Commission, NorthWestern Energy plans to propose a “large load” tariff that would establish rules for interconnecting data centers in Montana. The regulated utility intends to serve at least three data centers that could collect...
Black Hills Corporation and NorthWestern Energy Merger Seeks Regulatory Nod NorthWestern Energy and Black Hills Corporation have filed a joint application with the Montana Public Service Commission seeking regulatory approval for their proposed merger. The review process is expected to conclude in late 2026 or early 2027. Company officials say...
Medicare Open Enrollment Kicks Off in Montana — and Plans Are More Expensive Than Ever More than 260,000 Montanans are being notified that they have until December 7 to enroll in a Medicare plan for next year. Some plans will see double-digit percentage increases in premium prices, while others will carry higher deductibles and out-of-pocket e...
Montana Is the Last State Without a Texting-While-Driving Law Montana remains the only state in the United States without a law banning texting while driving. According to data from the National Conference of State Legislatures, distracted driving accounted for 8% of all traffic fatalities nationwide in 2022—resulting in more than 3,000 deaths...
