Legislature back to work

The first week after transmittal is always like starting refreshed, with new vigor and looking forward to seeing what the House folks have for our committees. This week, I sponsored Emma Wickum as a Senate Page. Emma is looking to study political sScience and one day do lobby work. I connected her with some Helena folks and we visited with them: Molly Kruckenberg, the director of the State Museum, lobbyist Kali Wicks, with Blue Cross Blue Shield, and lobbyist Mark Baker, who works as a contractor for a number of businesses. It was a great learning experience for me, as well.

In both my Education Committee and Tax Committee we had bills dealing with career and technical education. For Tax Committee, the bill proposes to give businesses a tax credit for sending employees for additional training. It allows $2,000 per employee, up to a cap of $25,000 per company. In the same vein, the Education Committee bill proposed that if a student was enrolled in dual credit work during high school with a career and technical education program, that individual would be eligible to receive an incentive of $1,000 per semester to be paid to the institution. It has become very clear that we as Montana employers are short on younger people choosing to enter into the trades. There is a whole list of well-paying jobs our state’s employers are unable to fill with qualified workers. In the 2017 Legislative session, career and technical education was barely mentioned. As the lack of skilled workers continues to grow, there has to be incentives put in place to encourage the youngest generation to pursue these type of jobs, i.e. construction, plumbing, welding, carpentry, electrical. Not everyone is looking to pursue a four-year post-secondary education. These bills are just a couple of the ideas coming forward to encourage and help folks get an education and enter the work force from a different pathway.

Some House bills have started entering the Senate floor. We can be assured these bills have been through both the House and Senate committees’ scrutiny. For the most part, by the time the bills hit the floor they have been amended to solve any issues dealing with meeting Montana laws, current code, or confusing wording. Making the bill worthy to become law and passing the committee 11 to 0 tells me the committee agreed it was good. If a bill comes to the floor with a 6 to 5, I look at how each committee member voted. For the most part, knowing someone on the committee I trust is helpful. I can seek them out to discuss, so I can feel more comfortable voting for or against a bill. Doing my own research is important, but so is understanding impacts of proposed legislation from those closest to the bill.

Thank you for the support I have been receiving. As always, be safe.

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People can email Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester at Russ.Tempel@mtleg.gov.