Public News Service

Montana has more than 3 million acres of inaccessible public lands, tops in the West, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

SB 442 veto override ballots due back this week

Ballots are due back in the Montana Secretary of State's office later this week, as lawmakers decide whether to override Gov. Greg Gianforte's veto …

Expanding the Child Tax Credit could lift as many as 16 million kids in the U.S out of poverty, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. But the measure awaiting action in the U.S. Senate does not have broad public support. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Child Tax Credit would benefit 46,000 MT kids

Advocates of the Child Tax Credit are calling on Washington lawmakers to expand it as they return to the Capitol this week. It's estimated an …

Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed SB 442 after the Montana Legislature adjourned, which could affect veterans' programs and other services. Critics of the veto now want lawmakers to override it. (Adobe Stock)

MT military veterans support veto override

A Montana court has denied Gov. Greg Gianforte's attempt to stop the Legislature from having an opportunity to override his veto of a bill that …

The union that represents Montana's public school teachers has filed suit to stop a pair of school choice bills in the state. One would create Educational Savings Accounts, the other a charter school system, both of which would be funded with state education money. (Adobe Stock)

MT teachers union files pair of 'school choice' lawsuits

Montana's largest teachers union has filed two lawsuits against "school choice" measures in the state. Montana lawmakers passed House Bill 393 last …

The Helena point-in-time survey is conducted each year to count people either living in shelters or other temporary housing. (Adobe Stock)

Helena ups efforts to track, shelter homeless Montanans

Helena is stepping up efforts to track its homeless population. The number of people living without shelter has risen sharply since the city started …

Montana House Bill 393, which would create Educational Savings Accounts for special education students, is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2024. Critics vow to challenge it in court. (Adobe Stock)

MT teachers oppose special-ed voucher program

The union that represents Montana teachers opposes a move to legalize private school vouchers in the state. Educational Savings Accounts, or ESAs…

Many of Montana's county access roads to public lands are shared by hunters and local residents. <br />(Adobe Stock)

Counties sue over vetoed outdoor funding bill

A District Court judge has heard oral arguments in a lawsuit over a vetoed Montana funding bill. The measure would have changed the way the state's …

Montana used $13.5 million in pandemic relief aid to upgrade its online unemployment benefits application system. (Adobe Stock)

MT upgrades 'archaic' unemployment system

Montana has upgraded its outdated online unemployment insurance system, which should allow the state to process unemployment claims more efficiently…

While they are common, emotional support animals may be animals other than dogs. (Adobe Stock)

Increased renter restrictions target emotional-support animals

Fair-housing advocates are concerned about changes the Legislature made to tighten restrictions on emotional-support animals for Montana renters…

It's estimated that 37.2% of women and 34.6% of men in Montana have experienced physical, sexual or stalking abuse from an intimate partner. Evidence indicates the numbers are vastly underestimated, according to 'domesticviolence.org.' (Adobe Stock)

MT launches $1 million family mediation program

CORRECTION: The funding source for this program is federal. An earlier version indicated that Montana state tax dollars were funding it, which is not …

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of domestic resources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass and renewable power such as solar and wind, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. (Adobe Stock)

MT part of $1 billion hydrogen hub

The Biden administration has announced investments in a hydrogen hub to produce energy in the Northwest, including in Montana. Clean-energy …

The National Congress of American Indians is working with tribes to help end the opioid epidemic in tribal communities. (Adobe Stock)

$50 million earmarked for Indigenous community development

Native American Bank has been chosen to administer $50 million in grants from the U.S. Treasury Department to bolster low-income Native American …

The United States has fewer than 49,000 Black farmers, accounting for 1.4% of the country's 3.4 million producers, according to the latest Census of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Seek Better Land Access for Marginalized Farmers

With the new Farm Bill debate scheduled for later this month, advocates are calling on lawmakers to write new policy into the measure to ensure more …

About 4% of the present population of Montana is indigenous. The major groups include the Assiniboin, Blackfeet, Chippewa-Cree, Crow, Flathead, Grosventres, Kalispel, Kootenai, Little Shell Band of Chippewa, Northern Cheyenne, Piegan, Salish and Spokane. (Adobe Stock)

Western Native Voice Launches Road Tour to Educate Constituents

Indigenous advocates kick off educational listening sessions in rural Montana this month to educate Native Americans about actions the state legislatu…

Rural adults remain less likely than suburban adults to have home broadband and are less likely than urban adults to own a smartphone, tablet computer or traditional computer. (Adobe Stock)

Senators Call on Congress to Invest $50 Billion in Rural America

Senators in Washington, D.C. want to see a $50 billion infusion into America's rural areas - with the Rebuild Rural America Act. The legislation is …

The rate of children under age 19 without health insurance dropped to 5% in 2021, an estimated 4,165,000 million kids nationwide, down from 6% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (Adobe Stock)

Healthy Kids Study Shows Dramatic Lack of Montana Child Care

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book ranks Montana 18th nationally in overall child well-being. The just-released numbers showed …

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health disorders worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, one in 13 people globally suffers from anxiety disorders. (Adobe Stock)

Mental Health Advocates Claim Success at MT Legislature

Montana's mental health advocates said state lawmakers addressed many of the state's pressing needs in the just-completed legislative session…

Senate Bill 442 would have appropriated $30 million to Habitat Montana, the state's premier environmental conservation program. (Adobe Stock)

MT Gov. Vetoes Key Environmental Bill; Supporters Still Hopeful

Despite the veto of a key piece of Montana environmental legislation, advocates are not giving up on the measure becoming law - even though the state …

HUD's Office of Multifamily Housing Programs administers programs providing housing linked with onsite and community-based supports, including for low-income seniors, people with disabilities, and families with children. (Adobe Stock)

Housing Advocates Push Back on GOP Budget Bill

Advocates for Montana's most vulnerable residents are pushing back on a budget plan passed by the U.S. House, saying it would have disastrous …

Habitat Montana was crucial in opening access to portions of the Big Snowy Mountains. (Forest Service Northern Region/Wikimedia Commons)

Competing MT Cannabis Revenue Bills Hinge on Conservation Funding

Montana lawmakers are considering how to distribute tax revenue from cannabis sales. One measure would strip funds from the Habitat Montana program …

A $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will help improve pedestrian and road safety in Kalispell, Mont. (digidreamgrafix/Adobe Stock)

Biden Admin Focuses on Rural U.S. with Infrastructure Projects

By Kristi Eaton for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Big Sky Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaboration…

Gov. Greg Gianforte gave his second State of the State address Wednesday. (Montana Public Affairs Network)

Gov. Gianforte Proposes Tax Cuts in State of State Address

Gov. Greg Gianforte delivered his State of the State address to the Montana Legislature Wednesday night, discussing his plans for the state's hefty …

More than 78,000 Montanans who received Pell grants were eligible for up to $20,000 in student debt relief under President Biden's loan forgiveness program. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

MT Student Borrowers Await Fate of Loan Forgiveness Program

About 120,000 Montanans qualified for the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness program, but the program's future is still in limbo…

Philipsburg is a small town in western Montana with fewer than 1,000 people, according to the 2020 Census. (mandritoiu/Adobe Stock)

CHIPS Act Creates Program to Lift Up Rural Economies

A program approved by Congress aims to give rural communities a boost when applying for federal dollars. The CHIPS Act, passed last month, boosts …

If passed by Congress, Recovering America's Wildlife Act funding would be used to restore ecosystems like the Flathead River. (Outside by Nature/Adobe Stock)

Bill Passed in House Would Send $27 Million to MT for Wildlife Recovery

A measure in Congress which would fund local efforts to protect animal and plant species before they become endangered has passed the U.S. House and …

There were about 4.6 million job openings nationwide at the end of 2021. (wachiwit/Adobe Stock)

Worker Shortage Hits MT Nonprofit World Hard

The country has a worker shortage - and it's leading to hard times for nonprofits. Liz Moore is the executive director of the Montana Nonprofit …

Montana is projected to face greater risks from wildfires as temperatures rise from climate change. (Gabe/Adobe Stock)

Study: Rural Communities Could Struggle to Access Infrastructure Dollars

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress is directing a historic amount of funds to climate resilience. But some rural …

The Well Done Foundation brought northern Montana schools kids out for its first capping in 2021. (Well Done Foundation)

Infrastructure Dollars Plug Abandoned Oil Wells in MT, Other States

States are getting money from the infrastructure law to plug up the methane-leaking issue of orphan oil wells. The Biden administration has …

The child tax credit provides families $300 a month for children younger than age six and $250 for children ages 6 to 17. (vetre/Adobe Stock)

Build Back Better to Provide Boost to MT Families, Supporters Say

HELENA, Mont. -- Supporters of the Build Back Better Act are touting the benefits it will bring to families in Montana and across the country…

Sen. Jon Tester helped craft an infrastructure package that won over 69 senators in August. (Carlos M. Vazquez II/Department of Defense)

Montanans Visit Tester's Offices to Urge Support for Climate Policies

HELENA, Mont. -- Montanans are delivering a message to the offices of Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., across the state today: Support bold investments in …

Families with children under age 6 could get up to $3,600 through the federal Child Tax Credit this year. (tomertu/Adobe Stock)

Child Tax Credit Lifts MT Families Out of Poverty, Backers Say

MISSOULA, Mont. - More than 200,000 Montana families are seeing extra money in their bank accounts because of the extended federal Child Tax Credit…

Cutting off federally enhanced unemployment benefits will affect more than 30,000 Montana workers, according to the Century Foundation. (skrotov/Adobe Stock)

MT Sets Off Wave of States Ending Fed Unemployment Benefits

HELENA, Mont. - Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte's announcement in early May that the state would stop paying the higher, pandemic-related federal …

An initiative legalizing recreational marijuana in Montana directed nearly half of the tax revenue collected to public lands. (Galyna Andrushko/Adobe Stock)

For Public-Lands Funding, Draft Marijuana Bill is 'Starting Point'

HELENA, Mont. - A draft bill for Montana's recreational cannabis program is out. Conservation and outdoors advocates are hoping to secure more funds …

Montana Public Employees' Retirement System members receive an average pension of $1,544 per month. (guy2men/Adobe Stock)

MT Public Employees: Pensions Help State's Economy

HELENA, Mont. -- Montana's public employees are touting the roles they play in communities, even after they retire. According to AARP, retirement …

HB 113 would fine Montana doctors up to $50,000 for offering gender-affirming health care to minors. (nito/Adobe Stock)

Bills Targeting Transgender Youths Introduced in MT

HELENA, Mont. -- Two bills restricting transgender youths are on the docket for Montana lawmakers this year. House Bill 112 would ban transgender …

Because of COVID-19, Montanans can testify on bills virtually this legislative session. (Erik Madsen/Flickr)

Montana Conservation Interests 'Push Back' This Session

HELENA, Mont. - With a new slate of legislators and a new governor in Helena, conservation groups want to ensure that protecting public lands is a …

Mirroring a national trend, Montana has seen a significant increase in recent years in the number of kids not covered by health insurance. (Adobe Stock)

Major Increase in Montana's Child Uninsurance Rate

BILLINGS, Mont. -- The number of Montana children without health coverage has gone up by 25%, according to a new report which said the increase came …

William Perry Pendley has served as acting director of the Bureau of Land Management since July 2019. (BLM/Wikimedia Commons)

Pendley's Past Remarks on Public Lands Catch Up with Him in MT

HELENA, Mont. -- A chorus of voices is growing louder for the Trump administration to withdraw William Perry Pendley's nomination as director of the …

The HEROES Act would provide $26 billion to public colleges and universities nationwide. (Jitze Couperus/Flickr)

Higher-Ed Faculty Call for Funding to Safely Reopen MT Schools

HELENA, Mont. -- Higher-education institutions will need major investments to safely reopen this fall, according to Montana faculty. Nationwide…

The U.S. Postal Service was left out of coronavirus relief in the CARES Act. (MelissaMN/Adobe Stock)

Postal Workers Rally Across U.S. to Save Post Office

HELENA, Mont. -- Postal workers are rallying across the country today for Save the Post Office Day. The U.S. Postal Service has struggled during …

The U.S. Senate could vote on the Great American Outdoors Act as soon as this week. (Mike Knell/Flickr)

Senate Poised to Pass Great American Outdoors Act

HELENA, Mont. -- Congress could give a boost to the outdoor places Montanans enjoy most. The Senate is considering the Great American Outdoors Act…

Some Montana legislators say the state will need to make cuts across the board because of a dip in revenue. (Erik Madsen/Flickr)

MT Educators Counting on Fed, State Assistance to Reopen

HELENA, Mont. -- Montana is drawing up plans to reopen public schools in the fall. Educators say they'll need assistance from the state and federal …

An orphaned oil well cleanup fund could put employees of the fossil fuel industry back to work, mitigating the environmental damage at abandoned well sites. (tristanbnz/Adobe Stock)

COVID-19 Relief Proposals: Bail Out States, Workers – Not Oil Companies

HELENA, Mont. -- The Trump administration and Congress are considering relief for the fossil fuel industry, which has been hit hard by low demand …

The 2020 census can be filled out online. (Aldeca Productions/Adobe Stock)

The Importance of Counting Montana's Young Children in the Census

HELENA, Mont. -- The 2020 census is here, and officials are spreading the word that households shouldn't forget one chronically undercounted …

Well over three-quarters of Montana hunters are concerned with William Perry Pendley's job as acting BLM director, according to a new poll. (Bob Wick/Bureau of Land Management)

Poll: MT Hunters Disapprove of Acting BLM Director Pendley

HELENA, Mont. -- Montana hunters are wary of the direction of the Bureau of Land Management, according to a new poll. While nearly 60% of …

Protecting 30% of nature by 2030 will require preserving green spaces in urban areas. (Wesley Fryer/Flickr)

Campaign Aims to Protect 30% of Nature by 2030

MISSOULA, Mont. -- To combat the extinction and climate crises, the United Nations has proposed governments protect 30% of land and water by 2030…

Most rural Americans with disabilities lack a nearby Social Security Administration office. (Minerva Studio/Adobe Stock)

Benefits Change Would Hit Rural Montanans with Disabilities Hardest

HELENA, Mont. -- Rural people living with disabilities could feel the biggest impact from changes to the Social Security disability program. The …

Montana ranchers say they're getting a raw deal from the four large packing corporations that control most of the beef market. (Northern Plains Resource Council)

MT Ranchers Call Out Lack of Labeling in USMCA

BILLINGS, Mont. -- Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are nearing approval of a deal to replace NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, but …

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MT: Budget Policy & Priorities