Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s petition to the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) for a review of a Montana Supreme Court decision concerning parental rights in abortion cases has gained significant support. Five amicus briefs were filed urging SCOTUS to reverse a decision that, according to Knudsen, puts the health and safety of children at risk Read More…
In a significant move aimed at preserving the integrity of local elections, the Montana Senate advanced House Bill 413 on Thursday, tightening voter residency requirements to ensure that only long-term residents influence county decisions. The measure, strongly supported by conservative lawmakers, seeks to maintain community values by guaranteeing that voters have a real, sustained stake Read More…
Flathead County District Court Judge Dan Wilson, who narrowly lost his 2024 bid for a seat on the Montana Supreme Court, announced Wednesday that he will run again—this time for a different seat on the state’s highest court in the 2026 election. Wilson, who was edged out by Katherine Bidegaray in a closely contested race, Read More…
A Missoula judge appointed by former Democratic Governor Steve Bullock has temporarily blocked a newly enacted law that protects women’s bathrooms and locker rooms from being accessed by biological males. District Court Judge Shane Vannatta, who openly identifies as a member of the LGBTQ community, issued a ruling Wednesday putting the law on hold just Read More…
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has formed a federal political action committee, indicating her growing fundraising prowess and national ambitions. The Republican has insisted she is focused on getting reelected as governor next year, but her nationwide fundraising network has fueled speculation she could be eyeing a 2024 presidential bid. Last week, her campaign registered a Read More…
A member of Montana’s House of Representatives resigned his seat late last month to accept an appointment to the Montana Board of Pardons and Parole, even after an attorney for the legislature questioned the constitutionality of the move, a Montana news outlet reported. Republican Rep. Jimmy Patelis of Billings announced May 23 on social media Read More…
There’s two stories taking place with the hospital in Kalispell this week. The first big story is the fact that nurses affiliated with the SEIU union are in the middle of a three day strike. The other big story is that several nurses do not support the SEIU and have now filed a petition to break ties with the Read More…
HELENA — Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series on federal Covid-relief funds in Montana – which will top $7 billion. While the 2021 Montana Legislature has left town, one of its biggest projects is just getting under way: The distribution of more than $1.6 billion of federal Covid-relief funds, from the Read More…
HELENA — Former U.S. Interior Secretary and GOP Congressman Ryan Zinke told MTN News on Thursday that he’s running for Congress in Montana in 2022 – in whatever district he lives in, after lines for new districts are drawn in the state. “We’ll see what the (redistricting) commission decides,” he said in an interview. READ Read More…
Governor Doug Burgum has signed on to 3 House Bills and 2 Senate Bills. The governor also signed Senate Bill 2030, but vetoed Section 5 of said bill. Senate Bill 2030 is an act to provide an appropriation to the state board of higher education for the higher education challenge matching grant program. Burgum signed the bill Read More…
Two legislators are asking North Dakota’s Health Department to end phone calls to residents that inform them of how and where to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The state health officer in a response said immunization reminders are routine, callers are state-employed and trained on federal privacy law, and people can opt out of state-issued Read More…
HELENA — A new Montana law effectively removes the attendance requirements for a child who is not in public school to participate in a school district’s sports or other extracurricular programs. On April 28th Gov. Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 157 into law, which prohibits school districts from excluding private and home school students that Read More…
Montana this month ended its relationship with a law firm that has deep ties to the Democratic Party, a victory for conservative legal figures pushing other red states to stop doing business with the firm. The firm, Motley Rice LLC, has a healthy portfolio of red state clients, even though its partners have long histories Read More…
Anti-government activist Ammon Bundy has filed paperwork with the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office indicating he intends to run for governor in 2021, writes Idaho Press reporter Ryan Suppe. The Secretary of State’s campaign finance portal shows Bundy’s name, with a Republican party affiliation. His treasurer appointment filing is dated May 21; he sought to Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — A Missoula woman’s Freedom of Information Act request for emails about a temporary safe outdoor space reveal county officials have been discussing another location for a potential homeless camp. In November 2020, county officials and community partners opened an outdoor shelter to help the homeless during the pandemic, but some residents have been Read More…
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Federal Judge James Boasberg has denied the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s request to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline. This opinion will allow for oil to continue to flow through the pipeline while further environmental review continues, despite earlier rulings from the court that vacated the pipeline’s permit to cross beneath Read More…
This summer will be the furthest thing from a vacation for congressional Democrats. President Joe Biden’s party is gearing up to sprint through Washington’s sweltering season, trying to squeeze through a long list of top legislative priorities in barely two months. With Biden’s sprawling infrastructure plan stuck in bipartisan talks, a voting rights bill mired Read More…
Lansing — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an apology Sunday after a photo emerged showing her at a restaurant with 12 other people gathered around tables pushed together in violation of her health department’s current epidemic order. The May 15 order from the state Department of Health and Human Services says no more than six people Read More…
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Governor Mark Gordon has identified the areas on which he will focus to administer federal dollars awarded to the state under the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery funds provided by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. According to a release, Wyoming just recently received the first half of the state’s allocation. The Read More…
Nineteen Republican state attorneys general on Monday urged President Joe Biden to reverse his cancelation of the Keystone XL pipeline project following the recent cyberattack of the Colonial Pipeline that created fuel shortages on the East Coast. In a letter led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, the group pointed to Biden’s own relaxing of environmental Read More…
Lincoln County Commissioner Mark Peck is stepping down effective June 4 to take a new role with the Lincoln County Port Authority. Libby’s representative to the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners, Peck described his decision to resign after about six-and-a-half years “a bittersweet thing.” Upon his formal departure from the board, he will assume his Read More…
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson will decide whether to prohibit state and local police officers from enforcing a host of federal firearms restrictions after lawmakers on Friday approved a ban long sought by conservative gun owners fearful of future overreach by liberal politicians in Washington. Gun registration requirements, firearm tracking rules and limits on certain people Read More…
Andrew Giuliani has dreams of turning next year’s gubernatorial race into another “Fight of the Century.” The son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani will announce Tuesday that he’s officially running for the Republican primary in 2022 — and is confident he can not only knock out veteran GOP competition but then go on Read More…
Recruiting the sitting governor of New Hampshire for one of the country’s tightest Senate races paid off for Democrats six years ago. Now the GOP is aiming to replicate that strategy. Republicans have launched an all-out effort to woo Gov. Chris Sununu into a challenge to Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan next fall. With the Senate Read More…
BOSTON (AP) — A former Massachusetts mayor first elected at the age of 23 by touting himself as a successful entrepreneur was convicted Friday of stealing money from investors in his start-up to bankroll his lavish lifestyle and soliciting bribes from marijuana vendors who wanted to operate in the struggling mill city. Jasiel Correia was Read More…
The Montana Supreme Court has denied the Montana Legislature’s effort to disqualify the Supreme Court Justices, stating that ‘were the Court to succumb to the Legislature’s request and evade our responsibilities and 16 obligations as a Court, we are convinced that public confidence in our integrity, honesty, leadership, and ability to function as the highest Read More…
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte on Thursday signed into law a package of legislation containing more than $500 million to fund infrastructure projects across the state. That’s mostly in addition to hundreds of millions of dollars that will be flowing into Montana from the federal American Relief Plan Act (ARPA). Most of that money was Read More…
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — On a prairie hill on the rolling highway into Wyoming’s capital city looms a billboard with the beaming face of the state’s lone congressional representative, Liz Cheney. In huge letters it declares: “Thank you Rep. Cheney for defending the Constitution.” Some local Republicans see Cheney’s lonesome stand against former President Donald Trump’s Read More…
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who chairs the Senate Budget Committee, is flatly opposed to removing former President Donald Trump’s cap on what’s known as the SALT deduction on state and local taxes, saying lifting it would send a “terrible” message. In an interview with Axios, Sanders was asked about what’s been called the “a tax break for rich Read More…
WASHINGTON — Every spring the Supreme Court seems to find itself in the headlines with consequential rulings on the horizon. This spring is no different. Over the coming weeks, major cases impacting various aspects of American life are poised for rulings. READ FULL STORY
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell toughened their positions Monday over the tax increases for millionaires and corporations that Biden has proposed to fund his sweeping infrastructure and education plans. “We’re open to doing a roughly $600 billion package which deals with what all of us agree is ‘infrastructure,’” Read More…
Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow is pushing back against proposed federal priorities for schools to teach the theory that racism is an ingrained part of American life. The U.S. Department of Education recently proposed priorities for American history and civics education grant programs which include encouraging districts to use curriculum related to the Read More…
HELENA — In the escalating battle between leading Republicans and the Montana judiciary, Attorney General Austin Knudsen has asked that all seven justices of the Montana Supreme Court disqualify themselves from deciding the legality of legislative subpoenas seeking internal documents from the court. Knudsen, a Republican, filed the motion late Friday, saying the justices have Read More…
A bill that would give Montana officials the power to license and regulate pharmacy benefit managers — the middlemen that negotiate drug prices and determine which medications are covered by health insurers — is headed to Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk. Proponents say the measure would shine a light on a powerful yet obscure part of Read More…
HELENA — A day after the Montana Legislature wrapped up its 67th session, Gov. Greg Gianforte and Republican leaders from the House and Senate held a news conference, highlighting what they saw as their top achievements. This was the first legislative session in 16 years with a Republican in the governor’s office, and the Republican majorities Read More…
The Montana Supreme Court will proceed with a full bench to consider a challenge to a new law that allows the governor to appoint judges and justices to court vacancies. An order filed Tuesday says Judge Matthew Wald from the 22nd judicial district in southeast Montana will substitute for Chief Justice Mike McGrath, who has Read More…
South Dakota Secretary of State Steve Barnett announced Thursday that the petition submitted for an initiated measure on legalizing medical use marijuana has been validated and filed. The measure, titled Initiated Measure 26, will now appear on the 2020 general election ballot on Nov. 3. Such a measure requires nearly 17,000 valid signatures to qualify Read More…
A former Wyoming state senator has been arrested in Sweetwater County for soliciting prostitution, jail records show. John Hastert, who served in the Wyoming Legislature from 2003 to 2019, was booked into the Sweetwater County Detention Center Thursday, according to the detention center’s inmate roster. He faces charges of soliciting prostitution and interfering with a peace Read More…
In another instance of COVID panic undermining “the science,” President Biden insisted in a Friday interview that he still plans to wear masks outside — despite new CDC guidance this week that masks do not need to be worn by vaccinated people outdoors. Speaking to NBC News in a wide-ranging interview Friday, the commander-in-chief called mask wearing Read More…
Florida’s Legislature passed an election bill on Thursday that alters the way residents vote by mail. The Republican-controlled Legislature passed the bill in both chambers on a mostly party-line vote. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis already said he plans on signing it. The bill prevents state agencies from sending mail-in ballots to people who didn’t request one, disallows ballot harvesting, which Read More…
The group behind the 2018 Medicaid expansion initiative is adopting a two-pronged political strategy. Reclaim Idaho is planning to sue the state over a new state law that could make it much more difficult to get an initiative on a ballot. And if Reclaim prevails in court, the group will follow up with an initiative Read More…
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Wyoming News Now) – Wyoming’s congressional delegation is responding to President Biden’s Join Address Wednesday evening. In statements from all three of Wyoming’s delegates, none were impressed. Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney responded by calling the speech, and Biden’s actions, disappointing. Her statement is below: “The policies President Biden has advanced in his first Read More…
HELENA — Former Secretary of the Interior and Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke has filed once again to represent Montana in Congress. The Republican was elected twice, 2014 and 2016, to serve as Montana’s lone member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the first Navy SEAL to serve in the chamber. READ FULL STORY
The Supreme Court announced Monday it will hear a major Second Amendment case out of New York concerning the right to carry a firearm for self-defense. At least four justices voted to hear the challenge over a state’s ability to deny applications for concealed-carry licenses. The lawsuit was brought by two men who had their concealed permit Read More…