News you can use
News you can use
Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 542
HELENA (AP) — House Republicans advanced a plan Thursday to end same-day voter registration that critics blame for long lines on Election Day, but supporters argue improves access to the voting booth. The measure, which cleared an initial 61-39 House vote on Thursday along party lines, would end voter registration the Friday before Election Day. Supporters of House Bill 30 argue the deadline provides ample time for voter registration, while freeing up county officials to deal with just traditional voters on Election Day. "Why...
HELENA (AP) — A Montana lawmaker says convicts should be allowed to get out of prison time if they instead agree to the "infliction of physical pain" — an idea that so far is receiving a cool reception. Republican Rep. Jerry O'Neil is drafting a bill that would allow those convicted of misdemeanors or felonies to negotiate corporal punishment instead of another sentence. The method used to inflict the pain would be decided by a judge. The veteran lawmaker said Wednesday that he thinks long prison sentences are inhumane. "Te...
HELENA — A plan to simplify income taxes sponsored by a Havre lawmaker was endorsed in the Montana House Thursday as lawmakers continued to advance plans aimed at reducing taxes. House Bill 581, introduced by Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, would reduce the seven different rates that range from 1 percent to 6.9 percent, and replace them with three rates ranging from 1 percent to 6 percent. The measure would also abolish most state credits and deductions. The bill would have taxpayers base their Montana taxable income on their f...
HELENA — A plan to simplify income taxes was endorsed in the Montana House on Thursday as lawmakers continued to advance plans aimed at reducing taxes. House Bill 581 would reduce the seven different rates that range from 1 percent to 6.9 percent, and replace them with three rates ranging from 1 percent to 6 percent. The measure would also abolish most state credits and deductions. It was endorsed in a 67-33 initial vote in the House, even though it would get rid of credits dealing with everything from adoption to energy e...
HELENA — The Montana House advanced a pay raise for state employees and endorsed the governor's proposed fix for the beleaguered pension systems as lawmakers eyeing compromise turned their attention to big pieces of legislation. The lawmakers, with a month left in the session, face deadlines this week and next week to advance bills that spend money or deal with tax revenue. And they continued a trend Wednesday of finding bipartisan support for potential compromises between the GOP-led Legislature and Democratic Gov. Steve Bul...
HELENA— Tavern owners faced off against craft brewers at the Capitol Tuesday, arguing the upstart competition has been allowed to unfairly flourish with too few restrictions. Both sides packed a state House Business and Labor Committee hearing looking at two bills. One brought by the tavern owners, House Bill 616, would put new licensing requirements on the brewing industry. The tavern owners argue some breweries have grown into full-scale retail establishments not envisioned by the original law that allows tasting rooms. A...
HELENA — Gov. Steve Bullock is increasing pressure on Republican lawmakers to accept federal money for Medicaid expansion. The Medicaid health care program for the poor is funded primarily with federal money, along with some state tax money. The federal health care reform offers states a big chunk of federal money to expand it further to low-income workers who don't have insurance. But Republicans opposed to the federal program argue state costs for the program will eventually increase as federal money dries up. The g...
HELENA — The Montana Senate has wrapped up the final day of the 2013 session after more in-fighting and maneuvering over a bipartisan budget deal. The Senate approved the deal and adjourned Wednesday — but only after stalling for several hours over whether to accept the compromise bill passed earlier by House Republicans. The Senate's conservative faction ultimately backed off its attempt to block the last-minute deal. The conservative Senate leaders have been on the losing end of several major votes this session. Dem...
HELENA — Gov. Steve Bullock and the Montana Legislature moved closer Tuesday to an agreement on the remaining big pieces of the state budget and eyed an early adjournment. Bullock said a gap of only about $30 million remained between lawmakers considering the two-year, $10 billion spending plan. Both sides were working late to reach agreement on the priorities. Bullock was asking lawmakers for more funding for child protective service, prisons, and law enforcement in booming oil fields and other areas. He said more than $6 m...
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, the powerful Senate Finance chairman who steered President Barack Obama's health care overhaul into law but broke with his party on gun control, said Tuesday he will not run for re-election. "I don't want to die here with my boots on. There is life beyond Congress," the 71-year-old Baucus said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., enters the Speaker's office for a meeting about tax cuts on Capitol Hill in W...
HELENA — Supporters of former U.S. Rep. Pat Williams easily outnumbered opponents at a packed hearing on his Board of Regents nomination — but opposition included former allies who argued Williams went too far when he said the University of Montana had recruited thugs. Williams outraged some of the school's football fans earlier this year with the comment, and they are now asking the state Senate to block his confirmation. The Senate Education Committee held a hearing on the matter Wednesday. William's comments came dur...
HELENA — Gov. Steve Bullock said Friday that he will apply whatever pressure he can to resurrect the plan to use federal money to help the working poor buy insurance. The governor's comments came on a day when backers said that defeat was near certain after a legislator accidentally voted the wrong way, and their coalition unraveled in a later do-over attempt. The compromise plan to use Medicaid money to expand health care coverage through private insurers has been lurching toward approval with the backing of Democrats and s...
HELENA — Even the architects of a surprising bipartisan House budget deal didn't expect the unprecedented unanimous vote from the chamber on Tuesday. "I had no idea in my wildest imagination," Republican Rep. Duane Ankney of Colstrip said after a 100-0 vote on a roughly $9 billion spending plan. "Wow," said Democratic Rep. Galen Hollenbaugh of Helena. The chamber broke into applause Tuesday morning after endorsing the budget in a little over an hour — a process has taken days in the past. There was no debate or dissent — alth...
HELENA — Proposed fixes for the state's public employee and teacher pensions systems are getting closer to approval in the Legislature. The Senate endorsed the two measures in 30-20 and 30-19 votes on Tuesday as some Republicans joined minority Democrats in advancing the plans. House Bills 377 and 454 reduce benefits a little while increasing contributions. The changes are meant to fix the pension systems facing a projected $4 billion shortfall over the next 30 years. However, lawmakers have expressed concern that portions o...
HELENA — A bipartisan coalition in the House is restoring part of the session's big school funding bill. Senate Bill 175 is the result of a multi-year effort by various interest groups to improve the school funding system. It also seeks to reduce the burden on local property tax payers with the help of natural resource money. Conservatives opposed to the cost of the bill used their majority in committee to dramatically alter the measure last week. But Democrats joined a group of Republicans Monday on the House floor to r...
HELENA — Bipartisan foes of so-called "dark money" behind many attack advertisements in politics are facing some opposition from traditional allies. AP Photo/Matt Gouras Republican State Sen. Jim Peterson discusses the plan he wrote with the governor to shed light on so-called "dark money" in politics at committee hearing on Thursday, in Helena. Republican state Sen. Jim Peterson and Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock are teaming up with a measure that aims to force more disclosure on third-party money in politics. They took t...
HELENA (AP) — Bipartisan foes of the so-called dark money behind many political attack ads ran into some opposition Thursday as they try to shepherd a lengthy reform proposal though the Legislature. Republican state Sen. Jim Peterson and Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock are teaming up on the measure that aims to force more disclosure about third-party money in politics. Their bill had its first hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. State Sen. Art Wittich, of Bozeman, a key GOP Senate leader, used the hearing to criticize t...
HELENA (AP) — A bipartisan budget deal is restoring federal family planning money sought by Democrats and giving Republicans a permanent cut of 500 vacant state jobs. The Montana Senate is finalizing the state's main $9 billion budget bill that spends a combination of state and federal money. It covers services big and small: schools, driver's licensing, Medicaid, law enforcement and much more. Lawmakers huddled for two hours to start Saturday trying to reach a deal on two contentious issues. It produced a compromise that r...
HELENA (AP) — Montana lawmakers brokering budget deals Saturday restored federal family planning money sought by Democrats, and gave Republicans a permanent cut of 500 vacant state jobs. The Republican-controlled chamber endorsed the state's main $9 billion budget bill - a combination of state and federal money - in a 30-20 vote after an all-day session. It covers services big and small: schools, driver's licensing, Medicaid, law enforcement and much more. Fiscal conservatives voiced displeasure, including the majority leader...
HELENA (AP) — Gov. Steve Bullock says he is open to modifying the proposal to take federal money in order to expand Medicaid to the working poor. Bullock talked about spending and other issues on Friday, as the Senate prepares to take up the state's main budget bill. Bullock says the fate of Medicaid expansion and many other priorities are still up in the air with about two weeks left in the session. The governor has sparred with Republicans over Medicaid expansion all session. One plan passed the Senate, but has since s...
HELENA — Senate debate on a relatively minor bill dealing with so-called "dark money" in politics is leading to another row in the Republican caucus. The issue has split Republicans all session after anonymous groups' spending in recent elections has helped fuel bitter GOP primary battles. The wound was re-opened Friday during debate on a bill to require a new disclaimer on materials sent by groups that don't disclose donors. Senate Majority Leader Art Wittich of Bozeman agitated some in his caucus by alleging a "crossover c...
HELENA — A Montana lawmaker told colleagues Friday that students should be allowed to leave their guns locked in cars without fear of expulsion, a proposal opposed by those who argue the weapons have no place on school grounds. Republican Rep. Jerry O'Neil told the House Judiciary Committee that students sometimes inadvertently leave hunting rifles in their vehicles and shouldn't be punished for doing so. The Republican cited the 2010 suspension of a 16-year-old Columbia Falls student who left her hunting rifle in the t...
HELENA, — Gov. Steve Bullock is ramping up the pressure on lawmakers by taking his Medicaid expansion request, one of the legislative session's bigger issues, straight to his constituents. Bullock has been touring the state selling his proposal, and he pitched it Thursday to the Helena Chamber of Commerce. Access Health Montana would use federal money allotted in the federal health care bill to expand Medicaid to as many as 70,000 Montanans. The plan needs legislative approval. The Democrat argues the influx of federal m...
HELENA, (AP) — Gov. Steve Bullock signed the Legislature's main budget bill Friday — but not after first using his line-item veto authority to strike a small portion of the spending. Bullock said in his line-item veto message that he needed to reduce spending. His office said the reductions cut about $30 million, roughly 0.4 percent of the two-year, $8 billion budget. House Bill 2 cleared the Legislature with the backing of minority Democrats and some Republicans. But Bullock said lawmakers did not stick to his goals of a s...
HELENA — Montana legislative leaders decided Friday to send the governor five potential candidates for the commissioner of political practices post after deadlocking on efforts to trim the list. A panel of two Republicans and two Democrats interviewed five candidates Friday, but the group couldn't agree afterward which should be the top selections. AP Photo/Matt Gouras Commissioner of political practices candidate Jonathan Motl speaks to the selection committee on Friday, in Helena. Montana legislative leaders are sending t...
