As state lawmakers prepare to convene for the 66th session of the Montana Legislature, slated to begin Jan. 7, it’s widely agreed that crafting a bill to continue Medicaid expansion will dominate the 90-day term, a prediction that, coupled with Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock’s spending and tax proposals, sets the stage for another budget battle in 2019.
Republicans will control the Legislature again when it convenes, and GOP leaders are already pushing back on the governor’s proposals advocating for the Medicaid expansion program, among his other priorities, like preschool and new taxes.