Montana News & Current Events | Public News Service

On average in Montana, full-time child care costs between $9,100 and $11,700 per year per child, according to Montana Advocates for Children. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Montana groups bring unique solutions to child care problems

Child care is expensive and in high demand but groups in Montana are taking creative approaches to help. Child care services in Montana currently …

In December, the Montana Supreme Court ruled a 2023 law restricting life-saving gender-affirming care for transgender youth was unconstitutional. Lawmakers have introduced a slate of related bills in the 2025 session. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, February 3, 2025

‘A dangerous proposition’: MT lawmakers could decide on three gender bills

Montana lawmakers are considering three bills on gender. They are all versions of previous bills, which either failed or were struck down in court…

According to the Montana Budget and Policy Center, about 21% of Montana renters, about 27,985 households, are severely cost-burdened. (Adobe Stock)

Advocate: Federal grant freeze would shake fair housing in Montana

The Trump administration has rescinded a Monday memo to freeze federal grants. A week of confusion over fiscal policy has left some groups uncertain …

According to a Montana Department of Justice rule, Montanans who receive benefits like SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, TANF and LIEAP qualify to have certain court fees waived. (Adobe Stock)

One year later, Montana advocates celebrate protecting access to justice

Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of a Montana Supreme Court decision ensuring equal access to justice, even for people who cannot afford court …

In 2024, at least 10 states enacted 19 restrictive voting laws, according to the Brennan Center for Justice and 21 states enacted 32 expansive ones. (Adobe Stock)

U.S. Supreme Court declines Montana voting rights case

The nation's highest court has declined to hear a case about Montana voting laws which would have disproportionately affected Native people. Last …

In 2022, 393 people were hospitalized after consuming baked goods containing tara flour, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declared unsafe in 2024, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. (Adobe Stock)

Montana bill seeks state panel on food safety

Research shows toxic additives have been overlooked in the U.S. food supply, though the federal Food and Drug Administration is charged with …

In Montana's Constitution, Section 9 of the Declaration of Rights reads:

Montana court upholds citizens’ ‘right to know’ about legislative bills, for now

A Montana District Court this week issued a preliminary injunction maintaining the public's right to know about legislative bills but the case will ne…

Sustainable aviation fuel is a liquid fuel used in commercial aviation. It reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80%, according to the International Air Transport Association. (Adobe Stock)

Future of sustainable aviation fuel in MT, U.S. depends on policy

Montana is a U.S. leader in the growing industry of sustainable aviation fuel. Experts in the field, and in the agricultural sector, hope to see new …

Federal funds will help restore Flint Creek and Jefferson River in Western Montana, benefiting wildlife, including trout, bears and migratory birds. (Melnik/Adobe Stock)

River restoration funding a 'win-win' for MT wildlife, farmers

During President Joe Biden's final weeks in office, the Interior Department has announced $41 million in support of water resources and ecosystem …

Canada lynx in the contiguous United States were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2020, so their habitat must be considered by agencies pursuing logging projects. (Stan/Adobe Stock)

MT groups sue USFS over logging in lynx habitat

The U.S. Forest Service is facing a lawsuit from Montana conservation groups for authorizing a major logging project in a critical wildlife habitat…

According to KFF Health News, roughly 77,000 Montanans were enrolled in Medicaid expansion last October, a topic expected to get a lot of attention this legislative session as the program is scheduled to expire in June. (Adobe Stock)

Groups rally at MT Capitol to maintain Medicaid expansion

A coalition of Montana groups will rally at the Capitol Wednesday to advocate for the protection of Medicaid expansion, which legislators will debate …

Montana's Department of Justice opened 21 human trafficking investigations in 2024, which will be submitted for prosecution, according to the department. (Adobe Stock)

Energy industry new focus for human trafficking education

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and educators are training workers in key industries to recognize and report the crime…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a new lower 48 Distinct Population Segment boundary for grizzly bears that receive protections under the Endangered Species Act, connecting and broadening the current isolated recovery zones. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Grizzly bears keep federal protections, despite state efforts

After a months-long delay, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday that grizzly bears will retain protections under the Endangered …

Bald eagle nests can be up to 12 feet high, 8 feet across and weigh as much as 2,000 pounds. (Adobe Stock)

MT home to breeding bald eagles, now officially the U.S. national bird

Montanans are celebrating the official designation of the bald eagle as America's national bird after helping in its recovery. Once close to …

Among the bills to be introduced in Montana's 2025 legislative session is one which would officially recognize Indigenous People's Day across the state. (Hanna Tor/Adobe Stock)

Native health care, voting rights top issues to watch during MT's 2025 legislative session

Montana's 69th legislative session begins today and advocates for the state's Native population will be at the Capitol, tracking bills ranging from …

Outdoor recreation supported 5 million jobs in 2023, or 3.1% of employment, according to an analysis from the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. (Westley/Adobe Stock)<br />

Outdoor recreation continues to fuel GDP

A bill passed by Congress could expand opportunities for recreation on public lands in places like Montana. The EXPLORE Act, presented to President …

Conservation advocates picked up a dozen seats in the Montana Legislature in the November election, according to Montana Conservation Voters. They remain concerned, however, over losing support at the federal level. (Adobe Stock)

Taking stock of Montana's outlook on conservation progress

With the Montana Legislature scheduled to gavel in next week, conservation leaders are looking ahead at ways to protect the state's public lands…

Nationwide, more than 3,000 newspapers have shuttered since 2004, according to Statista. (Adobe Stock)

Addressing Montana's expanding 'news deserts'

Online news organizations are trying to fill the lack of local coverage in Montana's news deserts. As the year ends, a dwindling number of the …

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $600 million to boost salaries for 11,200 wildland firefighters in the U.S. for two years. (Adobe Stock)

Montana wildland firefighters face drastic pay cut

Montana's wildland firefighters face a drastic pay cut at the end of this week without congressional action. Nationwide, the Bipartisan …

A $275,000 grant awarded to the Montana Legal Services Association will help streamline legal aid to low income residents. The information will be integrated into the organization's LegalServer case management system. (Adobe Stock)

Grant bolsters legal services for low-income Montanans

Low-income Montana residents are getting help accessing legal aid online. In some cases, updates to automated legal forms could help residents …

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management claims fire suppression tactics like large-scale logging would cause Garnet Mountains forests to grow back more densely. This 1898 photo of the forest shows it was thick and mature, decades before industrial logging was practiced. (Western Mining History)

Conservation groups sue to protect wildlife corridor from logging

Conservation groups have sued the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to stop a logging project in Montana's Garnet Mountains. Wildlife advocates said …

A Farm Connection report predicts dwindling services provided by local governments in small towns that are losing population will discourage new residents from settling in rural communities. (Adobe Stock)

Montana tallies economic impact of climate change

A report released by a Montana farm group says climate change is costing the state jobs and revenue, in addition to having a devastating long-term …

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development helps low-income apartment tenants afford reduced rents in Montana. (Adobe Stock)

Montanans threaten 'rent strike' over black mold, safety issues

More than two dozen members of a tenant's union in Bozeman are threatening a rent strike if their landlord doesn't address maintenance and other safet…

After a slight increase in 2022, the number of 2023-2024 western monarchs

Montanans can help keep monarch butterflies off the endangered list

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will decide by early December whether to list the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act. Wildlife …

The U.S. International Joint Commission was asked in March 2024 to address the effects of transboundary water pollution in the Kootenai River Watershed, and should make its decisions by March 2026. (Adobe Stock)

Montana joins tribes to target Canadian mining pollution

Montana has joined a coalition of Indigenous groups working to address Canadian coal mining pollution in the state's Kootenai River. The …

Consumer advocates say higher grocery prices are no longer the result of supply-chain issues, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Group blames corporate greed for MT food price gouging

Farm advocates say price gouging on meat and poultry are taking a toll on Montanans. A farm group cites U.S. Department of Agriculture data as …

A new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cattle grazing rule is being challenged by environmental advocates who claim it would increase dangerous interactions between cattle and grizzlies. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups buck grazing expansion in MT's Custer Gallatin

A federal court in Montana has held a hearing more than two years after a coalition of environmental advocates sued the U.S. Forest Service and the …

Advocates are suing the state of Montana over a change that allows documents used in the Legislature's bill-drafting process to be kept secret, reversing a 25-year-old rule. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental advocates sue Montana over public documents

Montana citizens and environmental advocates have sued the state for withholding documents that have, for decades, been considered public information…

Four companies control 85% of the beef processed in the United States, according to data just released by the advocacy group Farm Action. Consolidation continues to grow in the agriculture industry. (Adobe Stock)

Montana's agriculture industry becomes more consolidated

Advocates for a fair, sustainable and healthy food system have released a report showing increasing consolidation in Montana's agriculture sector…

A poll by Red America Blue America Research shows respondents in Montana are opposed to lower wages for public sector workers, including health care personnel and educators. (Adobe Stock)

Latest poll shows strong support for MT educators, health care workers

Results of a new poll showed likely voters strongly oppose candidates who back cuts to labor law protections and would probably vote in favor of incre…

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006, defeating Republican incumbent Conrad Burns in one of the year's closest Senate races. (Tester for U.S. Senate campaign)

MT's Tester vulnerable to 'political refugee' vote

By Lee Banville for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the Rural News Network-Public News Service C…

The Montana Supreme Court recently overturned two laws which would have limited remote ballot collection, especially important on Montana's seven tribal reservations. (Adobe Stock)

Montana advocates highlight fair election progress as challenges remain

With the election just a week away, advocates for fair elections in Montana met recently as part of a coalition to highlight efforts to protect …

Montana's open enrollment period to purchase insurance on the federal marketplace runs from this Friday, Nov. 1, to Jan. 15, 2025. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Check your options during insurance enrollment

People have the opportunity to enroll in Medicare, or change their supplemental coverage, between now and December 7. In Montana, insurance experts …

Forward Montana field workers saod they noticed a

A 'palpable shift' in interest among Montana's young voters

Groups working to get out the vote this November report a "palpable shift" among Montana's young voters since Kamala Harris replaced Joe Biden as the …

Roughly 120,000 Montana families receive some form of public assistance. Many are caregivers or single parents and 97% are employed. (Adobe Stock)

New report shows who gets Montana public assistance and why

A new report from the Headwaters Foundation in Montana showed at least half the people who receive public assistance are only enrolled for one year…

The Well Done Foundation said it is working to plug some 126,000 abandoned oil and gas wells in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Montana rancher works to cap abandoned oil and gas wells

By Michaela Haas for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publ…

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act, securing Native Americans' right to vote in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Tribal leaders mark Indigenous Peoples Day urging Native vote

Today is Indigenous Peoples' Day, and tribal leaders are using the occasion to call on people in Indian Country to vote in the upcoming election…

The town of Libby, Mont., population 3,100, is looking to Flathead Valley Community College to train future workers in fields to keep them and their children close to home. (Adobe Stock)

Community college anchors rural Montana town's future

By Denali Sagner for The Hechinger Report.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News Servic…

Many residents of Montana's seven Indigenous tribes live several hours from the nearest polling place. Advocates are pushing back on efforts to limit remote ballot collection efforts on tribal lands. (Adobe Stock)

Indigenous groups fight limiting remote ballot collection

Montana's Indigenous population is pushing back against efforts to limit ballot collection on tribal lands. Many members of the state's seven tribes …

An estimated 85,000 Montana residents stand to lose their Medicaid coverage if a program expansion expires next year. Opponents of the expansion said Medicaid should not be a long-term health care option. (Adobe Stock)

85,000 Montanans stand to lose Medicaid

Montana's expanded Medicaid program is set to expire next year. People who rely on it are calling on lawmakers for an extension but opponents argued …

Montana residents who qualify can receive up to $675 in property tax rebates. (Adobe Stock)

Deadline approaches for Montana tax rebate

Tomorrow is the deadline for Montana residents who qualify to apply for a property tax rebate. The State Legislature passed the measure during its …

Little Rye was among the winners of the 2023 Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund's Pups for Public Lands photo contest. (MCVEF)

Pups with a purpose: Photo contest a backdrop for MT public lands

A Montana conservation group is holding a photo contest, with a focus on dogs and social media to promote the state's vast trove of public lands…

Western Native Voice's 'Snag Dat Vote' is designed to make sure every Indigenous voter is prepared and energized to cast their ballot. (Adobe Stock)

Indigenous group travels Montana to 'get out the vote'

Montana's largest Indigenous rights group is hosting a series of events around the state to empower Native voters as the election draws closer…

As part of its Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program, the U.S. Forest Service has made $8 million available to help prevent fires in Montana by reducing hazardous fuels. (Adobe Stock)

$8 million to be used to reduce Montana wildfire fuel

The U.S. Forest Service is spending $8 million to reduce wildfire risk in Montana, part of a larger federal program funded by the Inflation Reduction …

Conservation groups in Montana have sued the U.S. Forest Service for a logging project in an area of the Bitterroot National Forest that's been home to a successful wolverine den, according to Alliance for the Wild Rockies. (Adobe Stock)

Montana suit: Logging project threatens critical habitat

Two conservation groups have filed suit in a federal court in Montana to stop a U.S. Forest Service logging project that would clear cut large stands …

A program at Montana State University has shown success in reducing the rate of youth suicide by educating students about alternatives. (Adobe Stock)

Experts want more school mental health services

Mental health experts have released a checklist for parents of students headed back to school in Montana. Research shows kids who need services are …

Montana has been carried by the Republican presidential candidate in every election between 1996 and 2020. The last Democrat to carry the state was Bill Clinton in 1992. (Adobe Stock)

Key election issues for Montanans: Population growth, health care, education

Labor Day typically kicks the campaign season into high gear in an election year as candidates sprint to the finish line. Montana has traditionally …

U.S. Justice Dept. hits Montana landlord with $25,000 discrimination fine

The U.S. Justice Department has issued a ruling against a Livingston, Montana, landlord for discriminating against a tenant. The consent decree …

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