State lawmakers at video conference list early accomplishments

For the first two weeks of the Montana Legislature, people have in the organizing phase, but work on key issues should be coming very soon, lawmakers said Tuesday.

State representatives Mike Lang, R-Malta, and Stephanie Hess, R-Havre, along with state Sen. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, talked to local residents Tuesday via a television connection to the Havre Public Schools Robins Administration Building.

Other area lawmakers have been invited but were unable to attend the discussion, sponsored weekly by the school district and the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce.

Lawmakers spoke of their accomplishments thus far:

Fighting sexual abuse

Hess said her legislation wojld create a sexual assault unit with the Montana department of Justice.

She sponsored the bill at the request of the Justice Department that would create the unit to provide training to county attorneys on how to best prosecute such cases.

Hansen said the legislation came about because of a dispute between the U.S. Justice Department and the Missoula County Attorney’s office over the handling of sexual assault complaints.

The Montana DOJ came to the conclusion that other county attorneys could use help in in the difficult task of prosecuting these cases.

School funding

Hansen said she is sponsoring legislation to create a state panel that will study state funding to school districts over the next decade.

In 1996, courts ruled that the funding method should be reviewed every 10 years

The review committee will consist of 12 lawmakers and four private citizens, she said.

She hopes the panel will be meeting for about a week after the Legislature adjourns in April. This will give lawmakers more time to learn the complexities of state funding, she said.

“The educational community will be happy with me on this,” she said. “This will be a watershed moment.”

Hansen has been a supporter of legislation that would help some charter and private schools, upsetting some in the public school community.

Minimum wage bill

Debbie Vandeberg, executive director of the Chamber, asked lawmakers about a proposed increase in the minimum wage.

She said many small Havre businesses would take a hit by having to pay the $10.10 minimum wage proposed by Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder.

The Montana Chamber of Commerce and business groups have lined up against the bill, while liberal groups are backing it.

She noted the minimum wage was just increased to $8.05 because of the annual indexing that took effect Jan. 1.

The wbll goes before the Senate Business and Labor Committee this morning.

Northern's Bio-Energy program

Lang said he will be working to get a $400,000 grant to the bioenergy program at Montana State University-Northern back into the state budget.

The program is included annually, and was included in the Montana University System budget, but was removed in the final proposal submitted by Gov. Steve Bullock.

Feral pigs

Hansen said the Senate Agriculture Committee has approved a bill banning importation of feral pigs into Montana.

Feral pigs have infested much of the South, she said, and have caused serious problems in Texas, it was explained. The pigs feed off vegetation and have caused probems on many farms.

Last year, a man was caught bringing two pigs into the state. He planned to let them loose and encourage hunting of the pigs, she said.

The Department of Agriculture tried to impound the pigs but had no authority to. The man eventually turned the pigs over to the state.

Under the new legislation, the state can bar anyone from bringing a feral pig into the state.