Governor Larry Rhoden has signed six bills into law, advancing legislation that addresses ballot transparency, administrative rulemaking, education policy, and state regulatory updates. The bills signed include: SB 5, which requires disclosure of whether a ballot question was proposed through a citizen initiative or by the Legislature; SB 56, which requires state agencies promulgating permanent Read More…
Senator Sheehy (R-MT) joined Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) in introducing the Carbon Resource Innovation Act, a bipartisan bill designed to expand the 45Q carbon capture tax credit to include innovative technologies that capture carbon in solid or liquid forms. Supporters say the legislation will incentivize responsible forest management, reduce wildfire risk, and create economic opportunities Read More…
Gov. Kelly Armstrong has rolled out a new statewide effort aimed at improving soil health and expanding wildlife habitat across North Dakota’s rural landscape, announcing the Governor’s Legacy Soil Health and Habitat Program at a Capitol press conference. The voluntary, working-lands program is designed to help farmers strengthen cropland productivity and resilience by establishing perennial Read More…
Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke announced that President Trump has signed H.R. 6938, the 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, which includes more than $8 million in federal funding for critical water infrastructure and law enforcement projects across Western Montana. “These projects come directly from county commissioners Read More…
On Sunday morning, Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Tester and his Republican challenger Tim Sheehy squared off in their first general election debate, set to be one of the most closely monitored races this year. The hour-long debate, hosted by the Montana Broadcasters Association and the Greater Montana Foundation, took place at Fairmont Hot Springs in Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined his Republican colleagues in calling out the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee corruption and sending a letter to the VA demanding the department repay nearly $11 million in unjustified bonuses that were distributed to senior executives within the VA and calling for the immediate dismissal of the responsible officials. “The egregious mishandling Read More…
(The Center Square) – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a coalition of states in defending American firearm makers from being held responsible for Mexico’s gun violence. The government of Mexico says gun companies should be responsible for gun violence there because manufacturers know some of their products are trafficked into Mexico. In January, the First Read More…
In addition to the array of statewide elections on the ballot, Montanans will cast their votes for 125 state lawmakers this year, comprising half of the Montana Senate and the entire Montana House of Representatives. The upcoming 2025 legislative session is already set to see significant changes, partly due to the new legislative district lines Read More…
Montana State Auditor Troy Downing is seeking the Republican nomination but allegations of violent threats and an attempt to underpay child support may derail his campaign. Fellow Republicans have drawn attention to Downing divorce records that show accusations of threatening to kill his wife and he failed to pay the proper amount of child support. Read More…
Recent campaign finance filings reveal that with just a month remaining until Montana’s June 4 primary, Governor Greg Gianforte holds substantial financial advantages over his opponents. During the fundraising period from March 16 to April 15, the incumbent Republican, Gianforte, amassed $157,000 for the primary and an additional $72,000 for the General Election, totaling $921,000 Read More…
Recent campaign finance filings reveal that with just a month remaining until Montana’s June 4 primary, Attorney General Austin Knudsen holds substantial financial advantages over his opponents. Incumbent Republican Knudsen secured over $56,000 during the month raising his total raised to $394,000. With expenditures totaling approximately $19,000, he concludes the period with over $230,000 in Read More…
Recent campaign finance filings reveal that with just a month remaining until Montana’s June 4 primary, Bowen Greenwood holds substantial financial advantages over his opponents in the race for Clerk of Supreme Court. Incumbent Republican Bowen Greenwood collected close to $25,000 in contributions during the month leading up to the primary, with expenditures totaling around Read More…
A coalition of 25 Republican governors joined forces to issue a collective statement urging President Joe Biden to lift the current pause on new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export approvals. The governors expressed deep concern over the administration’s decision, emphasizing its adverse impact on both economic and national security, as well as the security of Read More…
Earlier this month, a Montana environmental activist group took legal action against the state Department of Justice, alleging a violation of their constitutional right to access information by withholding communications between the department and a Canadian coal mining company. The Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC)has long fought natural resource development in Montana. The group has Read More…
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with 24 other attorneys general, filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Biden Administration’s unlawful electric vehicle (EV) mandate that threatens the economy, puts jobs at risk, and undermines the reliability of the electric grid. This is the 42nd lawsuit Attorney General Knudsen has filed against the Biden Read More…
(The Center Square) – Several U.S. House Republicans introduced multiple pieces of legislation to defund National Public Radio following new allegations of “leftist propaganda” from the taxpayer-funded news source. House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good, R-Va., Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., introduced similar legislation to prohibit federal funding for NPR, including barring local Read More…
Recent polling data from J.L. Partners, obtained by several Montana news outlets, sheds light on the closely contested U.S. Senate race in Montana. The race pits incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Tester against Republican newcomer Tim Sheehy, with results showing a tight competition. According to the poll, Sheehy currently holds a slight lead over Tester, with Read More…
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is gearing up for a significant advertising push, allocating a staggering $79 million to secure the party’s majority in the upcoming November elections. This initiative is part of a broader strategy alongside spending from the Senate Majority super PAC and individual candidates. The DSCC’s plan encompasses TV, radio, and Read More…
(The Center Square) – A group called the New Economic Frontier is asking the North Dakota Secretary of State to approve a petition that could put the legalization of recreational marijuana on the November ballot. The potential measure is spearheaded by Burleigh County Commissioner and former Bismarck Mayor Steve Bakken and 27 others. The measure Read More…
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with ten other attorneys general, filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Biden administration’s unconstitutional student loan forgiveness scheme. The lawsuit is the 40th that Attorney General Knudsen has filed against the Biden administration. Department of Education is wrongfully interpreting the Higher Education Act and bypassing Congress by Read More…
(The Center Square) – U.S. House Republicans are demanding answers from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as to why more than 200,000 deportation cases were dismissed. A new report published by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University found that 200,000 deportation cases were dismissed because DHS employees or Border Patrol Read More…
HELENA — After several weeks of legal wrangling, the Montana Supreme Court has sidestepped several statutes and procedural rules to allow a pro-abortion ballot measure to move forward. Supporters of the measure believe they’re close to starting their signature-gathering efforts. Throughout the process the measure has been informally known as “Ballot Issue 14,” but Montana Read More…
(The Center Square) – Former President Donald Trump appealed a judge’s decision to allow Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the case after she had a romantic relationship with the lead prosecutor in the case. “While the trial court factually found DA Willis’s out-of-court statements were improper and Defendants proved an apparent Read More…
(The Center Square) – President Joe Biden’s persistent push for billions of dollars in taxpayer funding toward progressive ideology on gender and race at home and abroad is under fire. Since Biden took office, the federal government has doled out huge sums to prop up Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and LGBTQ projects in the U.S. Read More…
(The Center Square) – Republicans may be gaining ground on national education issues during a presidential election year, responses from voters in a new nationwide poll reveal. The results also show that most voters want schools to fairly present controversial issues in school. The Center Square Voter’s Voice Poll, conducted by Noble Predictive Insights, found Read More…
A citizen-initiated ballot measure to establish an age limit for congressional members is on the ballot in North Dakota’s primary election on June 11, 2024. The campaign, Retire Congress North Dakota, submitted 42,107 signatures for the initiative on Feb. 9. At least 31,164 signatures needed to be valid to qualify for the ballot. On March Read More…
The Center Square) – A majority of Americans overall and 60% among true independents disapprove of the job President Joe Biden is doing, according to a new poll. The Center Square Voter’s Voice poll released Wednesday asked voters, “When it comes to President Joe Biden, do you approve or disapprove of how he’s handling his Read More…
(The Center Square) – Republican voters have suggestions for former President Donald Trump when he considers his running mate for vice president. The Center Square Voter’s Voice poll released this week asked voters this question: “Who should Donald Trump choose as his vice presidential candidate?” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis narrowly edged out the other potential candidates. Read More…
(The Center Square) – Republicans’ advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives will be only 217-213 after April 19, following Friday’s decision by U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher to resign. The resignation means no more than one Republican can cross the aisle on party-line votes. Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District representative, just 31 when he first won Read More…
The Center Square) – Teachers in South Dakota will see raises and a new minimum salary under a bill Gov. Kristi Noem signed into law Wednesday. Noem also signed a literacy bill into law, which will appropriate $6 million to the Department of Education to fund professional development in literacy education for teachers. The teacher Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte has raised more than $1.1 million in the 60 days since he announced his bid for reelection on January 16 according to a release from his campaign. “With Governor Gianforte’s pro-family, pro-jobs, pro-business policies and his strong record of protecting our Montana way of life, Montanans are overwhelmingly supporting Governor Gianforte’s reelection, Read More…
(The Center Square) — U.S. agricultural trade exports declined by $17 billion in fiscal year 2023, raising concerns from U.S. senators about how the Biden administration will address the issue. The deficit is growing and will decline by another $8 billion in fiscal year 2023, the senators said in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Read More…
(The Center Square) – Some lawmakers are once again calling on their colleagues to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. Ahead of the switch to Daylight Saving Time this weekend, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., highlighted the importance of the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent. “We’re ‘springing forward’ but should have never Read More…
HELENA — Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with 23 other attorneys general, filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Biden administration’s new air quality rule that would significantly impact state economies and raise energy costs for Montana manufacturers, utilities, and families. This is the 38th lawsuit Attorney General Knudsen has filed against the Biden administration. The Read More…
(The Center Square) – Arizona Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced on Tuesday that she is retiring at the end of the year and not seeking re-election, which led to a wide range of reactions from the political world. Sinema is considered one of the most politically moderate members of the Senate, and she made waves Read More…
(The Center Square) – Former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley dropped out of the Republican presidential primary Wednesday and declined to endorse former President Donald Trump. “I am filled with the gratitude for the outpouring of support we have received from all across our great country, but the time has now come Read More…
(The Center Square) – A Minnesota Congressman who ran a longshot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination against President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he was suspending his campaign. U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., thanked his supporters and endorsed Biden for the Democratic nomination. “To all who supported my effort, thank you,” he wrote on Read More…
(The Center Square) – As President Joe Biden prepares to deliver his State of the Union Address Thursday night, two new polls show a majority of Americans think he is not mentally fit to be president and is too old. Biden’s address to the nation comes just two days after his 2020 opponent, former President Read More…
(The Center Square) – The majority of Republican state representatives who voted to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and ran for reelection won their primary races on Tuesday. Sixty House Republicans voted to impeach Paxton last May, passing 20 articles of impeachment with four articles held in abeyance. Paxton was the first attorney general Read More…
(The Center Square) — Wyoming Republican Sen. John Barrasso will not say whether he’ll run for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s position next year. As the Senate Republican Conference chair, he is widely speculated to run. “That election doesn’t occur until later in November. To me, the key election is the one earlier in November. Read More…
(The Center Square) – A bill that would allow the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission to supersede city and county decisions on pipelines passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday after a lengthy debate. Senate Bill 201 states the PUC can overrule local jurisdictions if “such rules, or regulation, or ordinances, as applied to the Read More…
Donald Trump is aiming for a decisive victory on “Super Tuesday” as 15 states hold Republican contests in the primary season’s biggest voting day. Trump, despite facing numerous criminal charges, has dominated the Republican campaign, leaving Nikki Haley as his lone challenger. With a string of victories in early nominating contests, Trump has narrowed down Read More…
(The Center Square) – California lawmakers are pushing for new exemptions to the state’s fast food minimum wage as controversy erupted over the state’s reported exemption for Panera Bread. California Gov. Gavin Newsom approved an exemption to the state’s $20 per hour minimum wage for fast-food employees to national fast-food chains with bakeries that sell Read More…
(The Center Square) – President Joe Biden signed a temporary funding measure Friday that will keep the government open roughly one more week while lawmakers work to broker a longer-term deal. As The Center Square previously reported, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Continuing Resolution with a vote 320-99, sending it to the Senate, Read More…