MPs vote on ethics investigations, vaccine exemptions, red flag laws and financing for sexual assault exams

By Clayton Murphy and Emma White | Um legislative news service, School of Journalism of the University of Montana

The legislature hears piles of invoices before the key term of the session session

Helena-Parlamentarians are at break this week, after several debates of the marathon about Bills last week, during the last period until the session break at the middle of the legislature. Last week was what the Legisters in Montana call the “Transmission Week” – the last 5 days for the general invoices of the policy in the first half of the session to pass either the Senate or the Chamber or are actually dead.

“The members of the commission, we have a lot to work today. I will try to move things as best as possible, “said Senator John ESP, R-Big Timber, starting with what has become a session of almost 12 hours from the Senate, on March 5th.

The term applies only to general policies proposals – budget invoices, constitutional changes and fiscal changes have a different term later in the session.

On March 5, the house heard more than 100 bills, and the Senate debated more than 60.

On March 6, the program included 92 bills in the Chamber and 69 in the Senate.

In the middle of the session, the parliamentarians went through invoices on the hot ticket issues, such as the tax, Medicaid and Education tax. All four major property tax invoices are still alive, both the two major republican efforts and their democratic opposition.

In education, several invoices that follow the recruitment and preservation of teachers win support. And a draft law that continues the extension of Medicaid in the state has arisen from a pile of proposals that want to change or gradually eliminate the program.

As the deadline appeared, the members of both rooms have tried what are called “explosion movements” to revive the invoices. Wednesday evening, rep. Ed Stafman, D-Bozeman, made a motion to revive his draft law that would cover in vitro fertilization under Medicaid after died on March 4. This motion finally failed.

“First of all, I just want to apologize for the body. I know it’s late and if it wasn’t so much in the game, I wouldn’t do that, ”said Stafman.

The parliamentarians will take a short break from March 8 to March 14, before meeting to finish the last 45 days of the 90-day session.

-By Clayton Murphy

The investigation begins on hiring the president of the Senate of Private Counselor

Helena-While the Montana legislator hit the session break in the middle of the session, a second leader of the Senate landed on the hot chair for a contract that he did before convening this session.

On the eve of the first hearing regarding the accusations of ethics against the former president of the Republican Senate, Jason Ellsworth, the parliamentarians voted to send the current president of the Senate, Matt Regier, to the legislative audit division.

The decision came after the parliamentarians learned about his employment as a private lawyer as a personal lawyer, while serving as president of the Chamber in 2023. Regard, without waiting for the movement, he named improper charges and a “witch hunt”.

“I am happy to send him to the audit, to expect a 100 percent exemption and then we can return to the truly rooted corruption,” said Regier.

The rules allow only a special lawyer of the counselor between the Senate and the management of the Chamber. That First reported by the Free Montana pressHe had proposed a regier an invoice In 2023, this would allow individual lawyers, but died on the last day of the session. Until then, Abby Jane Moscatel registered as a “main legal justice in most Chamber” and worked with a three -month register. The free press reports that, by register, the Moscatel was paid 22,970 USD in state funds.

After an initial motion on the Senate floor, March 6, in order to send the case of the Senate Ethics Committee, the parliamentarians finally voted to file a complaint, fraud and abuse to the legislative audit division. Republican Senator Billings, Daniel Zolnikov, made the final motion, saying that the movement was an effort to remain in accordance with the investigation on Ellsworth.

“Let the audit make the report and let it do the results. This would be honest and intellectually consistent, ”said Zolnikov.

The State Justice Department is investigating Ellsworth for criminal charges regarding a contract of $ 170,000 that it has signed in the last days of the Senate Presidency with an associate and former employee.

Ellsworth contracted Bryce Eggston to watch the bills proposed for the 2025 session that deals with the powers of the judicial system if they became law. The Senate Ethics Committee also investigates Ellsworth on ethics violations in this case and has started to hear from witnesses on Friday.

After a six -hour hearing on Friday, the commission postponed and will meet for more testimonies on the morning of March 14th.

The hearing eliminated a drama, which included Senator Ellie Boldman, D-Missoula, pleading for a DUI Monday and Senator Ron Marshall, R-Hamilton, resigning on conflicts with lobbyists.

-By Clayton Murphy

Draft law that allows vaccine exemptions to schools pass the Senate

Helena – a draft law that would allow exemptions for vaccine requirements at schools and day cars has sparked a shared debate on the Senate floor before sending a restricted vote last week.

Senate’s draft law 474 It would require schools, day care and other organizations that require vaccinations to accept religious and medical exceptions.

Senator Cora Neumann, D-Bozeman, opposed the draft law. There are already similar exemptions, which she said would be extended uncertainly in the draft law.

“This modified draft law, as it is, would create the most permissive exemption policy in the country and probably throw us under the immunity of the herds for many transmissible diseases,” said Neumann.

One of the carriers of the draft law, Senator Daniel Emrich, R-Greek Falls, claimed that the bill would simply provide more control to parents.

“We will not have a new flood of people looking for exemptions,” Emrich said. “It is just to allow people another option.”

Senator Susan Webber, D-Browing, has introduced an amendment to exclude the tribal nations in the draft law. She said that tribal law requires vaccination for all students. Senator Barry Usher, R-Yellowstone County, opposed the change.

“If we take our money, then we should listen to our laws,” Usher said. “They should not be able to choose and choose when they are sovereigns and when they are not if they take our funding.”

The amendment failed with 28-22. The draft law has passed 28-21 and is now going home for debate.

-By Clayton Murphy

Legislators consider the prohibition of potential laws of local red pavilion weapons

Helena-profiles of a draft law that would prevent local administrations from adopting laws with red flag weapons say that these regulations are unconstitutional. But opponents say they can be important in preventing weapon violence.

A law with red FLAG, or an order protection order, is a temporary order that a judge can put on a person who asks them to temporarily surrender their firearms if the judge decides that there is a high risk for others or for the individual.

Twenty -one states and Colombia district have implemented laws with red flags, according to the Institute of the University of Michigan to prevent the injury of firearms. Montana currently has no laws with red flags.

Rep. Braxton Mitchell, R-Colombia Falls, sponsors Bill 809 House, claiming it is unconstitutional to remove someone to carry weapons if they are not convicted of a crime. Mitchell told a Commission hearing for the draft law last week that it is a preventive strike to protect the second modification of the mountain.

“The conclusion, you cannot undress the constitutional rights based on the accusations,” Mitchell said. “If someone is truly dangerous, they should be charged, tried and convicted, not disarmed by judicial tyranny.”

But Kelsen Young, speaking in the name of the Coalition of Internal and Sexual Violence in Montana, said that red flags can help prevent violence in domestic situations.

“In some situations, we truly believe that ERPO orders would be helpful, especially in terms of families who are experiencing violence in terms of mental health,” Young said. “And so for this reason, and also because we believe in local control for these issues, we oppose this draft law.”

A proposal to implement the laws with red flag in Montana failed in the 2023 session.

-Bo Emma White

Bill proposes a new method of financing sexual aggression kits to better serve rural mountain

Helena – Legislators consider a proposal that supporters say that it will help victims of sexual aggression to obtain local care, in a timely manner, in rural areas, changing the source of financing for sexual aggression exams.

The sponsor of the draft law, Senator Bob Phalen, R-Lindsay, said in an initial hearing of the Commission last week that Senate’s draft law 491 It would create a centralized state fund that uses income from marijuana tax to pay for sexual aggression medical exams, instead of applying local law to pay for care.

“By passing this draft law, we strengthen Montana’s commitment to public safety, we support the law and their critical work and we make sure that each survivor, regardless of where they live, has access to collecting high quality forensic evidence,” said Phalen.

SB 491 would also collect the maximum funds allocated for each exam from 600 to $ 800, an amount that supporters say is more realistic for typical procedures. Hope Stockwell, the coordinator of the sexual assignment network for the Victim Services Office for the Montana Justice Department, said in the meeting that the growth will help to close the gap between the funds and the real costs.

“The exams usually exceed costs of $ 1,000, depending on the severity of the crime and the wounds suffered,” said Stockwell.

Olson terrestrial, medical assistant and sexual assault examiner from Glendive, spoke in support of the draft law. She said that Glendive has a program dedicated to medical -legal exams, but had to close in 2023 due to lack of resources and labor burns. Now, she said, patients in Southeast Montana should rely on Miles City or on state-of-the-art services, often traveling hours for these services.

“We are actively trying to rebuild the same program in our local community, but sustainability remains the biggest challenge,” Olson said. “SB 491 offers a rescue line to rural communities that are facing similar fights in Montana.”

The Senate has advanced the draft law for a vote of 42-8 last week, and will now be evaluated by the Committee for Finance and Senate claims.

-Bo Emma White

Clayton Murphy and Emma White are reporters with the UM legislative news service, a partnership of the University of Montana, the Broadcaste Montana Association, the Montana newspaper Association and the Greater Montana Foundation. Murphy can get to [email protected]. White can reach [email protected].