It's now halftime at Montana Legislature

Rep. John Brenden, R-Scobey

It is halftime at the Legislature and they call it transmittal. The Legislature has a few days off until March 5. This is when all the general bills have to be passed from one house to the other in order to be heard in their respective chamber. This first half went much better than the 2013 session. There were some disappointments in my mind. 

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Water Compact passed the Senate, and I did not support the compact as I thought it was too much money and a taking of private property rights. I also did not vote vote for Senate Bill 261, the sage grouse plan, as it is another taking of private property rights.

This is blackmail by the federal government and it puts us all between a rock and a hard spot. This will pass the House and the governor will sign the bill, but I wanted to make a point that it is a taking.

  My Senate Bill 283 on expense account legislation was passed to the House. This bill would allow legislators to raise a certain amount of dollars to be spent on travel expenses.

There are limits on the amount and one could not use these monies in the election year. Right now, anytime we meet with mayors, county commissioners, and such. all of this is paid by the legislator out of his own pocket and the meeting could be a few hundred miles away. This account would be reportable to the Montana Political Practices Commission. Since I am termed out, I thought this to be a good idea for future legislators.

  Keep an eye on Sen. Rick Ripley's two bills, Senate bills 353 and 354, that fund infrastructure such as water and sewer, roads, bridges and such. If passed, this would start in 2017. 

I have a major bill that would cover the years 2015 and 2016 and it has both cash and bonding, and I am working with the League of Cities and Towns, Montana Association of Counties, Republicans, Democrats and hopefully the governor. It is a total bipartisan bill so stay tuned. 

  The second half of the Legislature will be more serious because we have to balance the budget and there are more wants than there is money. What is new? 

Spring is less than three weeks away, but this is still Montana weather.  Stay warm. 

(State Sen. John Brenden is a Republican from Scobey.  His district includes northern Blaine County and rural northern Hill County —  North Havre to Wild Horse. It runs east to the North Dakota border. He can be contacted by email at [email protected].)