On the steps of the Montana State Capitol, Governor Greg Gianforte was officially sworn in Monday for his second term as the 25th Governor of Montana. Accompanied by his wife, First Lady Susan Gianforte, the ceremony marked a historic milestone, as Gianforte became the first Republican governor to secure a second term since 1996. Chief Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines has announced his committee assignments for the 119th Congress, taking on influential roles in the Senate Committees on Finance, Foreign Relations, Energy and Natural Resources, and Indian Affairs. These assignments place Daines at the center of critical policy discussions affecting Montana and the nation. “It’s an honor to serve Montanans in Read More…
Kenneth Britton “Britt” Cotter, 48, who was recently elected District Court Judge for Lake and Sanders counties, has been charged with one count of solicitation to commit criminal distribution of dangerous drugs and two counts of attempted criminal possession of dangerous drugs. The Montana Attorney General’s Office announced the charges following a months-long investigation led Read More…
Congressman Ryan Zinke announced that the Senate has passed the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act. The EXPLORE Act is a comprehensive, bicameral legislation package that includes Zinke’s bipartisan Gateway Communities and Recreation Enhancement Act introduced with Alaska Congresswoman Mary Peltola in May 2023. The bill passed the House in April and will Read More…
CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Legislature convened their 2021 General Session on Tuesday, Jan. 12. Both the Senate and House of Representatives elected new leadership during their respective virtual meetings. Sen. Dan Dockstader was elected new president of the Senate. Dockstader represents Senate District 16, which covers portions of Lincoln, Sublette and Teton County. READ Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. – The Missoula County Commissioners provisionally voted to expand the vape ban five miles beyond city limits in effort to reduce kids’ access to vape products. The ordinance restricts self-service display of tobacco products and prohibits the sale of flavored tobacco products, which are common in e-cigarettes. Right now, over half of Montana Read More…
HELENA — Montana lawmakers heard testimony Tuesday on a bill that would put limits on the governor’s powers during an extended emergency – a response to the orders the previous governor put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The House State Administration Committee held a hearing on House Bill 122, sponsored by Republican Rep. David Read More…
In times of social crises in America, big tech billionaires are often amongst the first to speak up—though how they do so varies. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, unlike many of his peers, didn’t directly speak about the riot that erupted in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday afternoon. But the second-richest man in the world Read More…
CARSON CITY — A Las Vegas assemblyman investigated by police over allegations of misused campaign funds has resigned from his seat in the state Legislature. Gov. Steve Sisolak’s spokeswoman confirmed in an email Tuesday that Sisolak’s office had received a letter of resignation from Democratic Assemblyman Alexander Assefa, who represents District 42 in the Spring Read More…
More North Dakotans are participating in the medical marijuana program than the state Department of Health expected. “We have just under 4,400 patients that have a medical marijuana card,” Medical Marijuana Division Director Jason Wahl told Prairie Public. He had earlier projected about 4,000 patients by the summer of 2021, based on the experience in Delaware, Read More…
CHEYENNE — Governor Mark Gordon signed an Executive Order (EO) December 21 that will prevent large increases in Unemployment Insurance (UI) taxes for businesses that were directly impacted by the statewide health orders enacted to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Department of Workforce Services (DWS) is removing UI benefit charges from the UI policies for Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines called Twitter’s Friday ban of President Donald Trump “censorship,” and demanded in a letter to the social media giant that the account be reinstated. Daines, a Montana Republican and Trump ally, said the move to ban a public official from the platform eliminates Americans’ access to important information and hinders their Read More…
HELENA – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced his appointment of Misty Kuhl to lead the Department of Indian Affairs. “Misty shares my commitment to create new partnerships and build stronger bridges with our eight tribal nations,” Governor Gianforte said. “I campaigned on the promise of bringing new and greater opportunities to Indian country, and I Read More…
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The governor wants the Legislature to provide more than $4 million for state government to start preparing for medicinal and recreational marijuana in South Dakota. Legislation was pre-filed Thursday that would appropriate $4,026,253 to the state Department of Revenue and $135,249 to the state Department of Health. The Senate Appropriations Committee agreed Read More…
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., objected to counting Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes hours after a violent mob supporting President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, causing significant damage, leading members of the U.S. Congress to seek shelter and delaying the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s November victory by nearly six hours. Lummis, sworn in Read More…
President Donald Trump tweeted that he will not be attending President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20. This announcement was made on Twitter, and the president did not use Biden’s name. “To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th,” the president tweeted. The president released Read More…
HELENA — After pro-Trump protesters broke into the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, Montana leaders say they’re closely monitoring the national situation, but they’re not making major changes to security procedures at the State Capitol. Steve Baiamonte, administrator of Montana’s General Services Division, is director of security for the Capitol Complex, which includes all state buildings in Read More…
BOZEMAN — MontanaPBS is broadcasting and livestreaming a new weekly series, “The Rundown: Capitol Report,” each Sunday at 5 p.m. through the end of the 2021 Montana legislative session. The program will offer an in-depth look at Montana’s 67th Legislature with weekly updates, analysis and interviews. The series began Jan. 3 and is expected to Read More…
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, found his Louisville home vandalized Saturday a day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, suffered a similar fate. Messages were sprayed painted overnight on the exterior of Mr. McConnell‘s home, including “Mitch kills poor” and another seemingly referencing a larger stimulus relief package he just rejected. READ FULL STORY
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Lawmakers convene Tuesday either in person wearing masks or remotely for North Dakota’s 67th legislative session. The session comes as lawmakers face tough spending choices amid a pandemic that’s hit a state economy already reeling from depressed oil and agriculture prices. Ambitious billion-dollar bonding proposals from Republicans, Democrats and Gov. Doug Read More…
For a few months in the spring of 1996, Mike Enzi thought his career in politics was over. Then a 10-year veteran of the Wyoming Legislature, Enzi was in recovery from open heart surgery the previous October at Deaconess Hospital in Billings, Montana, where he was treated for a damaged heart valve. It Read More…
Culbertson, MT – Attorney General-Elect Austin Knudsen today announced the appointment of several division administrators to help lead the Department of Justice. “We have assembled a tremendous group of talented individuals; I am excited to have each one of them on our team,” Attorney General-Elect Austin Knudsen said. “Working together we will improve efficiencies in Read More…
A reduction in soda ash royalties expected to save producers up to $5 million over the next 10 years is being praised by members of Wyoming’s congressional delegation. U.S. Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso and U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney welcomed the U.S. Department of Interior’s decision to reduce the royalties paid on soda ash Read More…
Republican Senator and Florida man Marco Rubio went on a Twitter rant Sunday to accuse Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease specialist, of lying about coronavirus in general and masks in particular. “Dr. Fauci lied about masks in March,” Rubio tweeted Sunday morning. “Dr. Fauci has been distorting the level of vaccination needed Read More…
Georgia’s election administrators are fighting bizarre conspiracy theories, ballooning costs and coronavirus-related staffing problems as they prepare for the state’s contentious, nationally watched Senate runoffs next week. In interviews, eight Georgia election officials — including a top aide in the secretary of state’s office and county administrators around the state — said they were confident Read More…
President-elect Joe Biden will invoke the Defense Production Act after he’s sworn into office to help increase production on the coronavirus vaccine, a member of his COVID-19 advisory team announced on Monday. Celine Gounder, an expert in infectious diseases at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that “you will see him Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — A group of Montana Republicans is calling out GOP Sen. Steve Daines for his role in getting the CSKT Water Compact into the recently signed spending bill, calling it a “clear betrayal of our state and of President Trump.” Montana House Majority Leader Brad Tschida and 17 other state lawmakers signed on to Read More…
HELENA- Following the news that President Donald Trump signed the $900 billion pandemic relief package, Montana Senator Jon Tester released the following statement: “This critical economic stimulus package isn’t perfect, but it’s the result of bipartisan compromise that will do some real good for families and businesses in our state. READ FULL STORY
BOISE, Idaho — Democratic leaders in the Idaho Legislature are requesting that the upcoming legislative session – set to begin on Jan. 11, 2021 – be postponed until at least April due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to GOP House and Senate leadership, Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett and House Minority Leader Ilana Read More…
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum signed an amended executive order paving the way for restaurants and bars to resume normal hours of operation as active cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have decreased in North Dakota. Bars, restaurants and other food service establishments have been closed to in-person service between the hours of 10 Read More…
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (KIFI/KIDK)-Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon signed an executive order Monday to prevent large increases in Unemployment Insurance (UI) taxes for businesses directly impacted by COVID 19 health orders. Under the order, the Department of Workforce Services will remove unemployment insurance benefit charges from the policies of all businesses and industries named in health orders. Read More…
The Flathead County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to rescind their prior declaration of a COVID-19 emergency, saying none of the county’s emergency funds have been used to mitigate the coronavirus as county departments have relied instead on state and federal relief. The commissioners unanimously approved the emergency declaration in March, freeing up money that the Flathead City-County Read More…
New Jersey is joining a legal battle to stop neighboring states from taxing residents who are working from home. The shift to remote work amid COVID-19 led New Hampshire to file a lawsuit in October, seeking to bar Massachusetts from taxing people who stopped commuting to the state for work because of the outbreak. More Read More…
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem urged Minnesota business owners to relocate to her state after the Minnesota attorney general began suing bars that defied the state’s lockdown orders. “Come to South Dakota!” Noem tweeted. “We respect your rights. We won’t shut you down.” Noem’s tweet also shared a Star Tribune article that highlighted the stories of bars Read More…
A federal judge dismissed an environmental law firm’s attempt to block three timber projects around Bozeman and Hebgen Lake Thursday, but the firm isn’t giving up on the case. In an order Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris dismissed Cottonwood Environmental Law Center’s lawsuit over the projects altogether, writing the firm’s claims against Read More…
MISSOULA — There is another legal salvo in the fight over protections for the wolverine in the Northern Rockies, with conservation organizations filing a federal lawsuit challenging the latest decision to not treat the rare mammals as “threatened.” Some scientists believe there are fewer than 300 wolverines left and are being hurt genetically because they Read More…
Congressional leaders closed in on a $900 billion coronavirus relief deal Wednesday as millions of struggling Americans wait for help. The developing aid agreement would not include liability protections for businesses or aid to state and local government, CNBC confirmed. Disagreements over those two issues have blocked lawmakers from crafting a year-end rescue package. “We Read More…
The Minnesota Republican Party has decided to hold its annual winter retreat in Deadwood, South Dakota. On its invitation to members, party officials say they’re excited to hit the road and head to our “friendly neighbors to the west in a beautiful, free and open part of the country.” South Dakota has fewer COVID restrictions Read More…
CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Legislature is considering joining other states in authorizing the use of “automated vehicle identification systems” to enforce speed limits and other traffic laws. 19 states and the District of Columbia have laws in place which allow the use of cameras to issue speeding fines, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Read More…
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem sent official letters on December 7 withdrawing as a presidential elector and asking that South Dakota Republican Party chairman Dan Lederman serve in her place. Lederman and two fellow Republicans, Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden and State Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg, met at noon Monday in a Read More…
Tensions are high over the fate of more than 3 million acres of public and private land in northeast Montana. Two groups have very different views on the future of this vast area. Alison Fox is head of an effort to turn it into the largest nature reserve in the nation. She’s the CEO of Read More…
HELENA – On Wednesday, 17 states asked the U.S. Supreme Court to accept a new lawsuit that is attempting to invalidate Democrat Joe Biden’s electoral victory in the 2020 Presidential race in four key states. Montana is one of them. Montana Attorney General Tim Fox says the odds of the high court accepting the late Read More…
South Dakota is making a last-minute bid to overturn presidential election results and keep President-elect Joe Biden from taking office next month. South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg’s office Wednesday joined 16 other states with Republican attorneys general in filing an Amicus Brief in support of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit against four battleground states — Georgia, Read More…
The Federal Trade Commission has asked a federal court to force former Trump campaign CEO Steve Bannon to testify under oath as part of the agency’s investigation into Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica data breach. FTC prosecutors said they want to interview Bannon as part of a probe into whether he should be found personally liable for his Read More…