Gov. Greg Gianforte joined the Mountain States Policy Center (MSPC) last week to outline his tax cut priorities ahead of the 2027 legislative session, emphasizing a renewed push to move Montana to a flat income tax. Speaking at an event in Helena alongside MSPC Founder and President Chris Cargill, the governor highlighted what he described Read More…
A liberal majority of the Montana Supreme Court has cleared the way for a sweeping ballot initiative backed by a coalition of liberal advocacy organizations, reversing Attorney General Austin Knudsen and allowing the measure to move forward. In a sharply divided ruling issued Thursday, the Court held that proposed Ballot Issue 8 (BI-8) qualifies as Read More…
The campaign of Steve Daines that Danielle Bradley will serve as campaign manager for his 2026 re-election effort, formalizing leadership for what is expected to be a closely watched Senate race. Ms. Bradley, who most recently served as executive director of the Montana Republican Party from 2021 to 2025, has longstanding ties to Mr. Daines’ Read More…
Austin Knudsen is leading a coalition of 19 state attorneys general urging the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether more than 150 U.S.-based climate organizations have violated federal law by accepting foreign funds to influence American energy policy. In a letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General for National Security Read More…
As Congressional Democrats and Republicans continue to fight over the fate of undocumented immigrants in the DACA program, the federal government is barreling towards a shutdown Friday. Yellowstone Public Radio’s Nate Hegyi sat down with Montana’s Republican Senator, Steve Daines, to talk about the potential for a shutdown, his legislative goals in 2018 and President Read More…
On Wednesday, a bill honoring the life of Alex Diekmann passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 400 to 3. Congressman Greg Gianforte teamed up with U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester to sponsor the bill. According to Gianforte, Diekmann was a champion for Montana. “Alex Diekmann was a renowned conservationist Read More…
After the state of Montana struggled with a surprising $227 million budget deficit in 2017, many are wondering why the state’s revenue is so weak at a time when the economy is growing. An economist says it’s largely due to Montana’s reliance on income tax. Patrick Barkey, director of UM’s Bureau of Business and Economic Read More…
Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst has announced that she is running for her second term and officially filed for reelection on Friday. “These last four years have been incredibly gratifying and challenging, and I feel like I need at least another four years to continue some of the work that we’ve done,” Pabst said. “When Read More…
HELENA – It’s a tradition that for some with insatiable political appetites may rank up there with ringing in the new year in Times Square, the running of the bulls in Pamplona or the opening day of baseball season: Candidate filing for the 2018 elections begins Thursday. The public may join Secretary of State Corey Read More…
Officially opens election season once again. All across the state, candidates are filing to run not just for congressional seats, but for state legislature as well. As your hometown elections headquarters we took the time to get to know the parties and their agendas for the election season. Here in Cascade County Bill Strizich, Cascade Read More…
HELENA – Candidate filing for state offices in Montana’s 2018 elections kicked off Thursday at the Capitol, led by a half-dozen filers in the top two races on the ticket, U.S House and U.S. Senate. Four of the five Democrats hoping to challenge Republican Congressman Greg Gianforte paid their $1,740 filing fee Thursday, including Lynda Read More…
Before Congress left on their holiday break, they provided a patch for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that extended coverage through March. Jennifer Calder with Montana Kids Count said 23,000 children could lose health insurance funding altogether. “Currently, about one in three Montana children have health insurance thanks to public investment,” said Calder. “There Read More…
HELENA – Democratic state Rep. Tom Woods of Bozeman has dropped out of Montana’s U.S. House race – although five Democrats still remain, vying for the nomination to challenge Republican Congressman Greg Gianforte. Woods announced his decision Monday with a post on his personal Facebook page, saying he couldn’t compete with other candidates who already Read More…
The U.S. Census Bureau released its population estimates last month, and the combination of Montana’s continued steady growth and other states’ continued decline or slower growth means the Treasure State could be in line for a second member of Congress. Currently, Republican Greg Gianforte is the lone U.S. congressman in the state, which has had Read More…
(HELENA) With the start of the new year, drivers in Montana will be paying more to register their vehicles. During last year’s state legislative session, lawmakers approved increased fees to help fund the Motor Vehicle Division. The changes came as part of a broader highway and transportation funding package. Starting Jan. 1, MVD will add Read More…
Alabamians retained some levity during a bruising special U.S. Senate election that pitted an underdog Democrat against a Republican facing accusations of sexual misconduct with teenagers. For example, Jesus got two votes in Cherokee County in northeast Alabama from voters who chose to write-in their vote instead of picking one of the listed options, Democrat Read More…
HELENA – The vast majority of Montanans will pay less in federal income tax after the new Republican tax reform bill takes effect in January, according to new analysis from the state Department of Revenue. The agency analysis says more than three-quarters of the roughly 461,000 Montana households that file federal tax returns will receive Read More…
In a year of anti-refugee sentiment in many corners of the world (and especially in the U.S.), one former refugee and first-time candidate ran for office — and won. Twenty-three years before Wilmot Collins became the mayor-elect of Helena, Mont., he was a refugee from Liberia. He stood in a long line at the port Read More…
U.S. Representative Greg Gianforte (R-MT) has introduced legislation to ban mining on public land in the Paradise Valley. According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Gianforte introduced two bills to the U.S. House of Representatives: the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act and the East Rosebud Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The latter would “conserve a portion of Read More…
Bozeman City Commissioners will consider investigating raising the body’s wages at their meeting tonight. If they approve the increase, it would go into effect for a future body and would be the commission’s first pay adjustment since 2013. Currently, a city ordinance adopted Dec. 2, 2013, fixes the salaries of the Bozeman City Commissioners at Read More…
HELENA – The Legislative Finance Committee on Monday expressed interest in working with the Revenue and Transportation Interim Committee on reviewing the state’s tax structure, however members balked at waiting until 2019 to do a formal study, saying they want to put it on a faster track. Revenue and Transportation Interim Committee members sent a Read More…
Montana Attorney General Tim Fox has joined 22 other states attorneys general urging Congress to pas legislation establishing nationwide reciprocity for concealed weapons permits. Spokesman Eric Sell said these bills would allow concealed carry permits to be recognized in all 50 states and U.S. Territories, regardless of where they were issued. “Self defense is a Read More…
HELENA – U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, bracing for another tough election battle in 2018, has received at least 81 percent of his nearly $8 million campaign war chest from sources outside Montana, an MTN analysis shows. Tester, one of several Democratic incumbent senators up for election in states won handily by President Trump last year, Read More…
The maneuvering to fix the state budget is still playing out following the special session earlier this month as some key pieces have yet to slide into place. Lawmakers left the state Capitol about a week and a half ago with a package of bills that filled the state’s projected $227 million budget shortfall. As Read More…
HELENA – The Trust Lands Management Division for the state of Montana made $86.2 million gross revenues in fiscal year 2017, with $43 million of that going to schools, members of the state Land Board were told Monday. Shawn Thomas, division administrator for the Trust Land Management Division for the Department of Natural Resources and Read More…
Less than two weeks after filing suit to block a $30 million transfer of its funds to help balance the state budget, the state workers’ compensation fund board may vote to withdraw the lawsuit. The Montana State Fund’s board of directors has scheduled an emergency meeting this Wednesday, to consider whether it should withdraw the Read More…
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock has called the Montana Legislature back to Helena for a special session to balance the state’s budget. The session will begin at 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 14, 2017. “I have put forth a set of reasonable and thoughtful proposals to balance Montana’s budget for consideration by the Legislature,” Gov. Bullock said. Read More…
Thursday the Governors Office said they were closer to reaching a deal which would resolve the $200 Million budget deficit. Friday Republicans said that is not the case at all. House Speaker Austin Knudsen wants to make it very clear there is no budget deal. He said they are not even close to a deal. $227 Million, that is Read More…
Like three other vulnerable Senate Democrats seeking re-election next year in states where President Donald Trump won, Sen. Jon Tester in Montana sports strong job approval ratings at home. But Tester has an additional edge compared to Democratic Sens. Joe Donnelly in Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, and Joe Manchin from West Virginia, according Read More…
https://cpa.ds.npr.org/kufm/audio/2017/10/MN-PR-senate-update-10-31-17_0.mp3 Both of Montana’s senators questioned federal oversight of a multi-million dollar contract between Montana-based Whitefish Energy and the Puerto Rican electric utility during a Senate committee hearing today. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines grilled administrators overseeing power restoration efforts in Puerto Rico during the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Read More…
HELENA – The company that owns Montana’s only private prison has offered $30 million to help solve the state’s budget crisis – if the Bullock administration would extend the company’s contract for another 10 years, MTN News has learned. The money would come from a fund set aside to help the state buy the privately Read More…
(HELENA) The Montana Supreme Court has found that voter-approved Constitutional Initiative 116, commonly referred to as Marsy’s Law, is unconstitutional. The court concluded that the initiative made at least five substantive and not closely related to changes to the Montana constitution. Montana’s Constitution requires a separate vote for each unrelated change to the constitution. The court Read More…
Helena – Governor Steve Bullock has appointed Billings personal injury attorney Don Harris as the new district court judge in Yellowstone County. Mr. Harris will replace Judge Russ Fagg who retired earlier this year. Mr. Harris is currently a partner at the law firm of Harris, Gannet & Varela PLLC. He received his undergraduate and Read More…
DEER LODGE – Some members of Congress believe the country’s forest management just isn’t cutting it. “I’m of the firm belief if we don’t start managing our forests we’re going to continue to see these catastrophic wildfires,” said U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont. Gianforte invited his Republican colleague from Arkansas, Rep. Bruce Westerman, to tour Read More…
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s congressional campaign committee bought an RV from his wife then sold it to a friend a year later at a steep discount, a watchdog group said in a Federal Election Commission complaint that alleges an illegal scheme to convert political donations into personal cash. The June RV sale is one of Read More…
The last Montana legislative session was a tough one with a trim budget, but there is speculation the money is already running out. Ever since the session ended, there has been talk of either the legislature or governor Steve Bullock calling a special session. Montana House Finance chair Nancy Ballance believes the governor might announce Read More…
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate voted Thursday to pass a budget resolution for next year that is mostly significant because it could make it easier for Republicans to pass major tax cuts, a top GOP priority. The 51-to-49 vote was split mostly on party lines. Only GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky voted no. To Read More…
Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is receiving significant criticism nationwide as many actresses have stepped forward to accuse Weinstein of sexual assault, harassment, and a cover-up of these stories by the press. As a high-profile political contributor, Weinstein’s donations have even been re-donated to charities by major politicians, including New York’s Andrew Cuomo. Interestingly, according to Read More…
Gov. Steve Bullock said Wednesday he needs a “willing partner” to call a special legislative session and address the state’s budget revenue shortfalls. Bullock met with the Chronicle editorial board Wednesday to talk about the decision he needs to make regarding budget cuts. READ THE FULL STORY.
State Rep. Tom Woods said Thursday he will challenge GOP Congressman Greg Gianforte for Montana’s at-large congressional seat in the House of Representatives. “Montanans deserve a government that is by people and for people,” the Bozeman Democrat said. “That principle is what this country was founded on. The principle of putting people first is what Read More…
Fourth-generation Montanan and 22-year District Judge Russ Fagg made a stop in Kalispell Monday to announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. A small crowd gathered for Fagg’s announcement in front of the Flathead County Courthouse on the crisp, clear morning. “It’s just about a perfect day in the Flathead Valley, and it’s an honor Read More…
The last special legislative session in Montana was held a decade ago, when Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat, announced the “call” summoning lawmakers back to Helena in order to fund government and transfer money to pay for wildland firefighting. Today, Schweitzer’s Democratic successor, Gov. Steve Bullock, is in an even direr situation following an expensive Read More…
Five candidates are vying for two seats on the Kalispell City Council in the upcoming November election. The Beacon is publishing its first series of questionnaires with candidates for municipal elections this fall, starting with Kalispell. Absentee ballots are being mailed Oct. 18 and Election Day is Nov. 7. In Kalispell, incumbent Mayor Mark Johnson Read More…
Two Democrats running to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte in 2018 have raised more than a half-million dollars in campaign funds between them – and a third Democrat appears poised to enter the contest. Billings attorney John Heenan, the first Democrat to announce he would challenge Gianforte, reported raising $325,000 in August and September Read More…