Lawmakers see some success, some failure

Lawmakers see some success, some failure

Tim Leeds

Local lawmakers put forth a flurry of bills this legislative session, with some suceeding and some failing to make the deadline for transmittal to the other house of the Legislature.

Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, has several bills listed today on the legislative website as missing transmittal, while others have been or will be transmitted to the Senate.

Her bill to allow gender to be considered in certain insurance coverage has passed the House and will be transmitted, Warburton said this morning.

Another of her bills that was transmitted is a requirement that county governments have oversight in placing wild bison in their counties.

The website lists her bills to call for a constitutional amendment to define personhood — a bill many call an attempt to attack the legality of abortion; to clarify that the Montana Constitution does not grant the right to an abortion or its public funding; to allow the training of medication aides in nursing homes; and to reclassify mountain lions as predators as still alive.

Her bills listed as having missed the transmittal deadline include her reclassification of the state Home Guard, a high-profile bill that some argued could lead to anti-government paramilitary organizations around the state.

Others were her bills allowing employees to keep firearms in vehicles at the parking lots of their jobs; allowing employees to keep firearms in their vehicles while on their employer's business; and revising the authority of game wardens.

Warburton, for the moment, is listed as the House sponsor of three Senate bills transmitted to the House. One is the bill sponsored by Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, giving Montana the authority to use eminent domain to take federal land.

The other two are a bill sponsored by Sen. Rick Ripley, R-Wolf Creek, clarifying the role of the state Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks in managing wild bison, and by Sen. Frederick "Eric" Moore, R-Miles City, clarifying the regulation of wild and domestic bison as livestock.

Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, has four bills listed as transmitted to the Senate. Those are her bills to implement the Uniform Power of Attorney law; to amend the youth court act to allow state district judges to sentence youths tried in adult court on all charges in the case; to generally revise annexation laws; and to limit local ordinances to protected classes for discrimination cases.

Hansen's bills still listed as in committee or passed out of committee are: requiring public disclosure of contracts with outside counsel for state agencies; proposing an interim study of state income tax and sales tax; and providing that a third driving under the influence charge is a felony.

Her bills listed as tabled or having missed transmission are: holding a referendum to repeal legislative term limits; revising government records management to exempt personnel files; and eliminating standard time in Montana to only follow daylight-savings-time.

Rep. Tony Belcourt, D-Box Elder, has three bills listed as transferred to the Senate: revising Fort Belknap People's Creek account; revising renewable portfolio standard to include hydropower expansions; and revising state land laws for regional water systems.

His bills still listed as in or passed by committee are: reclamation and development grants; revising local government entitlement share calculation; and authorizing blackjack tables to fund social services, which he sponsored for Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder.

One of his bills, revising automated traffic enforcement systems for school buses, is listed as having missed transmittal.

In the Senate, Hutton's bill to allow state use of eminent domain on federal land has been transmitted, as has a bill of his to revise salvage title law and a bill to call for a resolution supporting a U. S. constitutional amendment listing a parental bill of rights, and a bill to prohibit qualified health plans from covering abortion services.

His only bill listed as having missed the transmittal deadline is revising agricultural lien laws, including pesticide and fertilizer liens.

Windy Boy has two bills transmitted to the House: revising tribal use of temporary assistance to needy family maintenance of effort funds and requiring car insurance companies to provide disclosure on how rates determined.

Two of his bills, addressing bullying in the workplace and banning the use of credit scoring in computing auto insurance premiums, are listed as having missed the transmittal deadline.

Local lawmakers put forth a flurry of bills this legislative session, with some suceeding and some failing to make the deadline for transmittal to the other house of the Legislature.

Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, has several bills listed today on the legislative website as missing transmittal, while others have been or will be transmitted to the Senate.

Her bill to allow gender to be considered in certain insurance coverage has passed the House and will be transmitted, Warburton said this morning.

Another of her bills that was transmitted is a requirement that county governments have oversight in placing wild bison in their counties.

The website lists her bills to call for a constitutional amendment to define personhood — a bill many call an attempt to attack the legality of abortion; to clarify that the Montana Constitution does not grant the right to an abortion or its public funding; to allow the training of medication aides in nursing homes; and to reclassify mountain lions as predators as still alive.

Her bills listed as having missed the transmittal deadline include her reclassification of the state Home Guard, a high-profile bill that some argued could lead to anti-government paramilitary organizations around the state.

Others were her bills allowing employees to keep firearms in vehicles at the parking lots of their jobs; allowing employees to keep firearms in their vehicles while on their employer's business; and revising the authority of game wardens.

Warburton, for the moment, is listed as the House sponsor of three Senate bills transmitted to the House. One is the bill sponsored by Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, giving Montana the authority to use eminent domain to take federal land.

The other two are a bill sponsored by Sen. Rick Ripley, R-Wolf Creek, clarifying the role of the state Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks in managing wild bison, and by Sen. Frederick "Eric" Moore, R-Miles City, clarifying the regulation of wild and domestic bison as livestock.

Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, has four bills listed as transmitted to the Senate. Those are her bills to implement the Uniform Power of Attorney law; to amend the youth court act to allow state district judges to sentence youths tried in adult court on all charges in the case; to generally revise annexation laws; and to limit local ordinances to protected classes for discrimination cases.

Hansen's bills still listed as in committee or passed out of committee are: requiring public disclosure of contracts with outside counsel for state agencies; proposing an interim study of state income tax and sales tax; and providing that a third driving under the influence charge is a felony.

Her bills listed as tabled or having missed transmission are: holding a referendum to repeal legislative term limits; revising government records management to exempt personnel files; and eliminating standard time in Montana to only follow daylight-savings-time.

Rep. Tony Belcourt, D-Box Elder, has three bills listed as transferred to the Senate: revising Fort Belknap People's Creek account; revising renewable portfolio standard to include hydropower expansions; and revising state land laws for regional water systems.

His bills still listed as in or passed by committee are: reclamation and development grants; revising local government entitlement share calculation; and authorizing blackjack tables to fund social services, which he sponsored for Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder.

One of his bills, revising automated traffic enforcement systems for school buses, is listed as having missed transmittal.

In the Senate, Hutton's bill to allow state use of eminent domain on federal land has been transmitted, as has a bill of his to revise salvage title law and a bill to call for a resolution supporting a U. S. constitutional amendment listing a parental bill of rights, and a bill to prohibit qualified health plans from covering abortion services.

His only bill listed as having missed the transmittal deadline is revising agricultural lien laws, including pesticide and fertilizer liens.

Windy Boy has two bills transmitted to the House: revising tribal use of temporary assistance to needy family maintenance of effort funds and requiring car insurance companies to provide disclosure on how rates determined.

Two of his bills, addressing bullying in the workplace and banning the use of credit scoring in computing auto insurance premiums, are listed as having missed the transmittal deadline.