skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina s congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Myorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Conservation Groups Ramp Up Defense for MT Legislative Session

play audio
Play

Monday, November 23, 2020   

HELENA, Mont. -- Conservation groups plan to defend their priorities in the upcoming Montana legislative session.

Jake Brown, political director for Montana Conservation Voters, said they're used to working with Republican-led legislatures, but the big change will be a Republican in the governor's mansion for the first time in 16 years.

The top priority is Habitat Montana, a program used to protect public lands.

Brown noted the voter-passed marijuana legalization bill lays out funding for programs including Habitat Montana and he doesn't want to see the Legislature change that.

"It's going to be kind of an all-out fight to make sure that the program is one, funded at the levels that it normally is, but then two, that the additional revenue generated from the new marijuana sales in Montana will also be allocated to the Habitat Montana program," Brown explained.

Brown added there is a history of bipartisan support for public lands in Montana. Public lands also support outdoor recreation, which is a large slice of the state's economy and sustains 71,000 jobs each year.

Brown stressed conservation groups plan to hold the line against any environmental rollbacks as well.

"Something that we always are on the watch for is any attempts to weaken Montana's pretty good laws around making sure that corporations clean up their messes, that regular Montanans like me have access to clean air and clean water when we go out to hunt or hike or fish or whatever," Brown remarked.

Brown warned legislating is going to look different in Helena because of the pandemic.

With new ways to interact in the process and a new government, he believes it's more important than ever for Montanans to be engaged.

"Even though we're still in the middle of a global pandemic, hopefully there are going to be ways for members of the public to continue to be involved and just make sure that their voices are heard on important pieces of legislation," Brown concluded.

The 2021 session begins Jan. 4.

Disclosure: Montana Conservation Voters and Education Fund contributes to our fund for reporting on the Environment. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
A report from the Tennessee HealthCare Campaign recommended the federal government needs to strengthen 340B drug pricing and other federal negotiation mechanisms to make needed medicines more readily available and less expensive for hospitals to purchase and administer. (Spotmatikphoto/AdobeStock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …


Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…


Nearly 13 million Americans receive health coverage through unique plans under both Medicare and Medicaid. They are known as Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …

More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021