Montana Politics: Latest News

Knudsen took the unusual step this month of ordering prosecutors to drop two gun-related charges against the man.

In the wake of escalating real-estate values in much of Montana, a former state lawmaker is proposing a constitutional initiative to create an “acquisition-value” property tax system – which would prevent big property-tax increases as long as one maintains ownership of the home or business.

Planned Parenthood of Montana filed suit Monday to overturn four new laws restricting abortion and abortion insurance coverage in Montana, calling them an unconstitutional violation of privacy and other individual rights.

The U.S. Census Bureau already announced that Montana’s growing population will entitle the state to a second seat in the U-S House. Now, the agency has released much more detailed information from the 2020 Census, giving us a better picture of how the population has shifted within Montana.

Montana has seven Supreme Court justices and 49 state District Court judges.

Democrat Steve Bullock had an oversized influence on the Montana judiciary during his eight years as governor, appointing 28 judges and justices – half of the state’s entire judiciary.

As expected, the U.S. Senate Tuesday approved a $1.2 trillion bill to bolster the nation’s infrastructure, with Montana’s two senators splitting their votes.

Montana Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines said Thursday he’ll be voting against the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill before the Senate, calling it a budget-buster that is “absolutely unacceptable” at this time.

The first Democrat to challenge Montana’s only congressman, Republican Matt Rosendale, in the 2022 election has officially kicked off his campaign: Outdoor writer Jack Ballard of Red Lodge.

Montana and 17 other states have joined together on an amicus brief (friend of the court) in a lawsuit challenging a Trump administration rule criminalizing bump stock accessories.

Montana state regulators have introduced a new set of proposed rules for medical marijuana providers, as they continue to prepare for the start of recreational sales in January.

A state senator pleaded guilty Monday to obstructing a peace officer, stemming from a May 23 highway traffic stop, where he argued that he was exempt from being retained because of his status as a legislator.

U.S. Senate action on a national, bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure package could happen in “short order,” Sen. Jon Tester told reporters Thursday – but its ultimate fate may be tied to action on a separate huge spending plan from Democrats.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester said a bipartisan group of senators – including himself – has reached a deal on “historic infrastructure legislation” that should have its first procedural vote Wednesday night in the Senate.

As the Gianforte administration decides which $600 million worth of proposed local water-and-sewer projects are left on the cutting-room floor, it will rely heavily on the “scoring” of these 300-plus proposals, officials said Tuesday.

Montanan Tracy Stone-Manning’s nomination to head the U.S. Bureau of Land Management advanced to the Senate floor Tuesday on a partisan 50-49 vote, setting up a final vote on her confirmation later this week.

Montana is “way ahead” of other states on deciding how to spend its $900 million of discretionary federal Covid-19 relief funds, even though it’s allocated just 5 percent of the money so far, state officials said Monday.

Advocates have filed a class-action lawsuit, accusing the state of Montana of failing to meet the requirements for providing “Indian Education for All.”

Bryce Bennett is resigning from the Montana Senate to take a new job in Washington, DC.

After more than an hour of contentious debate, a U.S. Senate committee deadlocked along party lines on the confirmation of Montanan Tracy Stone-Manning to head the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

A top GOP state senator has been charged with obstructing a peace officer and other violations after a highway traffic stop, accused of trying to avoid arrest because of his status as a legislator.

Montana Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, has been charged with three misdemeanors, including obstruction of a peace officer, after he was pulled over for speeding in a construction zone in May.

– A U.S. Senate committee will vote Thursday whether to confirm Montanan Tracy Stone-Manning as director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management – a vote expected to be a partisan deadlock, with Republicans against her.

It’s been almost nine months since the 2020 election, but in Missoula County, a Republican-led group is still sparring with local election officials over alleged “discrepancies” in ballot counts – claims that county officials say are bunk.

In the duel between a Republican-led group and Missoula County election officials over alleged problems with ballot-counting here in the 2020 general election, both sides have appealed to the state’s top election officer to step in, on their behalf. She has declined.

A transgender man and woman filed suit Friday to overturn a new Montana law requiring transgender citizens to get surgery and a court order before they can change the sex on their birth certificate, calling it an unconstitutional invasion of privacy.

In May, Gov. Greg Gianforte’s administration announced a measure seeking to encourage Montanans to reenter the labor force: establishing $1,200 return-to-work bonuses for people who were on unemployment but took a job and maintained it at least four weeks.

Republicans on a U.S. Senate committee have asked the White House to withdraw the nomination of Montanan Tracy Stone-Manning to direct the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, saying she made “false and misleading statements” about her involvement in a 1989 tree-spiking incident.

In a unanimous ruling, the Montana Supreme Court Wednesday roundly rejected the attempt by legislative Republicans to subpoena internal court documents, saying it clearly exceeds legislative authority.

Cora Neumann of Bozeman on Tuesday jumped into the 2022 race for Montana’s new U.S. House seat.