Government
MONTANA — In a recent press call, Senator Jon Tester addressed bipartisan bills in the works to support Montana’s law enforcement and measures to be taken to support the mental wellbeing of Montanans. During the week of March 22, Tester backed the “Recruit and Retain Act,” introduced by Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), to improve law enforcement retention. If passed, the bill would authorize approximately $3 million to create law enforcement programs that will allow collaboration between high schools, universities, and Tribal colleges with law enforcement agencies to help those agencies recruit young talent. The bill will also expa...
News from the MT Dept. of Labor and Industry HELENA — Montana’s unemployment rate set a new all-time low in February, declining 0.1% to 2.4% according to data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Montana Department of Labor & Industry. The February rate of 2.4% is t...
News from DPHHS MONTANA — “This is an excellent opportunity for farmers to get additional sales on their locally grown fruits and vegetables,” said Lacy Little, director of the Montana Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program that oversees Farm Direct. “It also helps WIC partic...
News from DPHHS MONTANA — The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is asking Montanans to submit nominations for the annual Emergency Medical Services (EMS) awards ceremony to be held Wednesday, May 24, 2023, at the Capitol Rotunda in Helena. The event, held during Emerg...
By Caven Wade & Elinor Smith, UM Legislative News Service, University of Montana School of Journalism MONTANA — The 68th Montana Legislature, with an unprecedented Republican supermajority, is halfway through its 90-day session and the next 45 days promise to be dominated by debates over the s...
HELENA — There’s broad bipartisan agreement in the Montana Capitol that rising housing costs, driven by the state’s finite supply of homes and rapid in-migration from other states, rank among the most pressing issues facing Montana residents. According to real estate website Zillow...
MONTANA — As the 2023 Legislature enters its second half, Montana Free Press is assessing how bills falling under the environmental umbrella — broadly defined — fared during the first 45 days of the session. Here we zero in on proposals to strike, add or amend laws and rules regulating coal...
The 2023 Legislature has made it to the session’s halfway point. For those who spend their time at the Capitol, it means marathon days, intense rhetoric, and heightened tempers. We went into this session laser-focused on an agenda that supports Montana families, like cutting property taxes for...
News from the MT Department of Commerce HELENA — To protect Montana businesses and encourage strong cybersecurity practices, the Montana Department of Commerce recently announced the launch of the Montana Cybersecurity Program. Through the program, the Department of Commerce will award small to me...
HELENA — All four members of Montana’s congressional delegation spoke to the Montana Legislature during a joint session of the Senate and the House on Monday, Feb. 20, talking to state lawmakers about the issues facing Congress, including the national debt and the fentanyl epidemic. Demo...
