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…
Helena – For the third consecutive legislative session, Democrat Governor Steve Bullock has failed to get an infrastructure bill passed by the Legislature. In the waning days of the 2017 legislative session, there seemed to still be a chance for the infrastructure package to pass, but in the end, it came down to a simple Read More…
Helena – Governor Steve Bullock vetoed House Bill 202 which would have provided new protections for state employee whistleblowers. The bill sponsored by Representative Kirk Wagoner passed both the House and Senate with bipartisan support. It would add new protections for public employees who report “matters of public concern” to the legislature. In a press Read More…
Helena – A recently released state audit that included the Montana Department of Transportation shows that MDT gave out raises to 82% of employees while postponing construction projects and asking the legislature to raise the state gas tax. The audited conducted by the Legislative Audit Division revealed that MDT handed out raises of $2.4 Million Read More…
Helena – Despite months of campaigning on fiscal responsibility and opposition to a statewide sales tax, Governor Steve Bullock is now supporting a raising the state fuel tax. At a contentious confirmation hearing this week, Department of Transportation director Mike Tooley admitted the Bullock administration wanted to propose an increase in the fuel tax but Read More…
Helena – Montana’s state budget has been the biggest issue of the legislative session so far, that will likely continue when Governor Steve Bullock delivers the annual State of the State address this week. When he released his budget proposal in November, Bullock said in a press release that “Montanans expect our state’s leaders to Read More…
Helena – A newly released memo shows that Montana Department of Transportation(MDT) officials and Governor Bullock knew of shortfalls in the highway fund before Election Day but kept the information hidden from the public until after Governor Bullock had been re-elected. The memo was obtained by state legislators and released to the media on Thursday, Read More…
Bullock Hires Planned Parenthood Exec as Health Policy Advisor Helena – Governor Steve Bullock announced Friday that he has hired Jessica Rhoades as his health policy advisor. Ms. Rhoades has had a long career in Democrat political circles, including time with Planned Parenthood. Rhoades was the western regional field director for Planned Parenthood of America Read More…
With estimated shortfalls in the state highway fund, the Montana Contractors Association and other special interest groups are pushing for a 38 percent increase in the gas tax. Recently MTN reported that Governor Steve Bullock’s administration has spent $75 Million more than the fund has brought in since fiscal 2012. And now the balance has Read More…
Great Falls – State Senator Ed Buttrey has told Republicans that he would run for Montana’s lone congressional seat in a Special Election to replace Ryan Zinke. Mr. Buttrey, 51, was the primary driver of a bill in 2015 to expand Medicaid in Montana. The bill was panned by most Republicans and narrowly passed with Read More…
Helena – Fresh off a narrow re-election victory Governor Steve Bullock is laying out his priorities for the 2017 legislative session. Despite the gains made by Republicans on Election Day Mr. Bullock remains confident that he can secure legislative victories. Mr. Bullock told Lee Enterprises, “I don’t anticipate much different dynamics than we’ve seen in Read More…
Helena – Montana commissioner of political practices dismissed a state ethics complaint against Governor Steve Bullock and Commerce Director Meg O’Leary on Monday with no investigation. The complaint was filed by state Representative Brad Tschida of Missoula. Commissioner Jonathan Motl, who was appointed by Governor Bullock, said that trips taken by Meg O’Leary to a Read More…