New CPS law aims to protect Montana children House Bill 586 becomes effective Wednesday updating Montana’s Child Passenger Safety Law. Children under the age of 2 must be placed in a rear-facing harness seat children aged 2 to 4 may be placed in a rear-facing or forward-facing internal harness seat and children aged 4 to 8 may be placed in a f...
Sheehy Bill Could Boost Rail Passenger Service Through Southern Montana Senator Tim Sheehy has introduced a bill to remove requirements that non-federal funding be considered for long-distance intercity passenger rail routes under the Corridor Identification and Development Program. If passed, the legislation could ease the burden on the Big S...
Property Tax Rebate Deadline Approaching Qualified Montana taxpayers have until October 1 to file a claim for their 2024 property tax rebate. The fastest way is online at getmyrebate.mt.gov, since mailing a paper application will add processing time. Most electronically filed rebates are issued by paper check within 30 days of filing. Paper-fi...
McCune Bar Sapphire Mine Near Hauser Lake Approved by BLMThe Bureau of Land Management has approved a five-year operation for the McCune Bar sapphire mine near Hauser Lake in Lewis and Clark County. The project covers 2.5 acres of mining activity and 3.6 acres of access road disturbance in a historically mined area. It supports former Presiden...
Montana Lawmakers Consider Taxpayer-Funded Emergency Medical Services A state legislative interim committee is studying whether EMS should be designated as an essential service. That designation would require county governments to provide a minimum level of EMS, which could necessitate taxpayer funding. The committee will report its findings a...
People Caused Most Montana Fires Again This Year This year’s fire season is winding down. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation reports only one new small fire in the past 24 hours. There are currently 28 active fires—the lowest number in several weeks. People caused 863 fires this year, while the cause of another 600 re...
Montana VA Gets 5-Star Rating from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services The Montana Veterans Administration’s Healthcare System has earned a five-star rating as part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ 2025 hospital quality ratings. The Fort Harrison VA Medical Center is the only hospital in Montana to earn five stars in b...
Montana Sees Rise in Fentanyl Overdoses Despite Seizure Drop According to the Montana Department of Justice, fentanyl seizures may be down in the state this year—but overdoses are on the rise, and fentanyl-linked deaths are “on pace to break records.” In the first six months of 2025, there were 46 fentanyl-linked overdose deaths re...
Judge Awards Plaintiffs in Montana Climate Case Nearly $3M in Attorney Fees and Costs Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Kathy Seeley has awarded the 16 youth plaintiffs and their attorneys in the Held v. Montana climate case nearly $3 million for nearly four years of litigation. The 10 attorneys received $2.85 million in fees, while ...
U.S. Department of Education Clarifies Title IX Protections for Girls and Women, Montana Schools Receive Reminder from Montana Family Foundation The U.S. Department of Education has clarified for schools that Title IX protects the rights of girls and women to equal educational opportunities including access to restrooms locker rooms and other ...
