News you can use
News you can use
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HELENA (AP) — Another candidate Democrats were hoping to recruit for Montana's open Senate seat said Tuesday she won't be running for the office. Stephanie Schriock, who helped run U.S. Sen. Jon Tester's 2006 campaign and is currently president of the Washington, D.C.-based group Emily's List, said she considered the idea, but ultimately rejected it. Some Democrats had been touting her as a skilled fundraiser capable of taking on a big race and hoped she would step into fill a void. "Montana raised me, and it will always b... Full story
HELENA (AP) — A civil-rights group is arguing that the Wolf Point School District is arranged to favor white voters in a predominantly Native American area. The American Civil Liberties Union of Montana filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday arguing the districts are apportioned to give a predominantly white district greater say on the school board than American Indian residents. The ACLU argues it is an unconstitutional violation of the Voting Rights Act. The group is asking a federal judge to force the school board of t... Full story
HELENA (AP) — A U.S. Senate subcommittee is again taking up bills from U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester that deal with federal land protections in Montana. Tester told the Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee Tuesday that it is time to pass his bill that aims to both mandate more logging and expand wilderness area. The measure was first introduced in 2009 and is billed as a compromise between timber mills and environmentalists. It stalled last year amid partisan differences accentuated by his heated r... Full story
HELENA — Another top potential Democratic candidate is rejecting a run for Montana's open U.S. Senate seat. Insurance commissioner Monica Lindeen said in a release Tuesday that she doesn't want to leave Montana and will stay in her current job. Democrats are scrambling to find a candidate after former Gov. Brian Schweitzer announced Saturday that he would run and had no interest in serving in the Senate. Lindeen has twice won statewide elected office and was considered a top option for Democrats. Superintendent of Public I...
HELENA (AP) — Brian Schweitzer's surprise announcement that he won't run for the U.S. Senate dealt a big setback to Democratic plans to retain Max Baucus' seat. However, party officials said Monday they still believe they are in a strong position to hold the seat even without the former governor. Attention shifted to Insurance Commissioner Monica Lindeen and Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau and others. Lindeen said Monday that she would like to make a decision before Labor Day. Other names being c... Full story
HELENA — Popular former Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Saturday morning that he will not run for Montana's open U.S. Senate seat in 2014, an announcement that complicates Democratic efforts to retain their majority in next year's elections. Schweitzer told The Associated Press that he doesn't want to leave Montana and go to Washington, D.C. He had been considered the Democrats best candidate for holding onto the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Max Baucus next year. Schweitzer said he felt compelled to consider the race only b... Full story
HELENA (AP) — A survey of Montana students released Tuesday suggests that distracted driving risks and bullying problems persist, while some other common teen perils are on the decline. The Montana Office of Public Instruction said that the 2013 survey found some positive results in traditional risk areas. The number of students who reported smoking, drinking or using drugs continues to decline. For instance, the number of students who reported recently trying alcohol was at 37 percent this year, down from 58 percent in 1... Full story
HELENA — Appointees of former Gov. Brian Schweitzer shared the governor's campaign address and received contributions from an organization that Schweitzer was involved in, even as the governor was bashing other such nonprofits for hiding from state disclosure laws. The same post office box address is listed on Schweitzer's website as he considers a run for the U.S. Senate in 2014. If he gets in the race, Schweitzer would be considered the Democrats' best chance of keeping the seat being vacated by the retiring Sen. Max B... Full story
HELENA (AP) — President Barack Obama's goal of limiting carbon-dioxide emissions has put Democratic leaders in energy-producing states such as Montana in a bind, caught between bellicose Republican statements of a "war on coal" and emboldened environmentalists who are calling for swift action. That has forced leaders such as Gov. Steve Bullock into something of a hedge, telling the public to wait for the details of Obama's plan while assuring them that energy production will remain a major economic driver and a source of e... Full story
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — New commissioner of political practices Jonathan Motl said he expects to start issuing decisions soon on a list of complaints dealing with disclosure of money in politics. The issue surrounding so-called dark money has taken greater significance since a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision that freed up campaign spending and ultimately was used to strike Montana's century-old citizen's initiative banning some corporate contributions. Court battles continue over the state's contribution limits, the r... Full story
HELENA (AP) — Advocates want to take the question of Medicaid expansion straight to Montana voters. The Montana Legislature rejected proposals to use federal money to expand Medicaid to those making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. A provision of the federal health care law provides the bulk of the money for such expansion. Many Republicans opposed to implementation of the federal health care law argue the state could eventually be on the hook for the expansion. On Wednesday, a coalition of health and c... Full story
HELEA (AP) — Advocates for same-sex couples say their case seeking legal domestic partnership recognition in Montana will be helped by a U.S. Supreme Court decision on a related issue. The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down a provision of a federal law denying federal benefits to married gay couples and cleared the way for the resumption of same-sex marriage in California. The decision did not alter Montana's constitutional definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman or directly affect any of the state's l... Full story
HELENA (AP) — A Jesus statue that has for six decades been a curiosity to skiers as they cruise down a popular run at a northwest Montana ski resort will not be evicted from federal land, a judge ruled Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen said the Flathead National Forest can re-issue a 10-year permit for the statue installed on the ski hill by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men's organization. The judge disagreed with a Wisconsin-based group of atheists and agnostics that argued the Forest Service was u... Full story
HELENA — Lawyers representing the state of Montana say two political consultants are trying to run from their own lawsuit to avoid a legal setback in the ongoing saga surrounding mysterious political documents connected to the conservative group American Tradition Partnership. The state attorney general's office has expressed confidence in its case and wants to force a ruling from a federal judge this week. The consultants, Christian and Allison LeFer, meanwhile, want their suit dropped, arguing that their constitutional righ... Full story
HELENA — A retirement board was told Tuesday that a mistake in the Legislature's proposed pension fix for public employees could undo plans to balance the system in less than 30 years. The Public Employees Retirement Board is being asked to modify a rule in order to avoid a glitch that could leave the state's beleaguered pension system facing a huge shortfall. Lawmakers struggled mightily to agree earlier this year on pension system fixes that rely on contribution increases and a cut to inflationary increases. Democrats b... Full story
HELENA (AP) — Former state legislator Ryan Zinke of Whitefish said Wednesday he might consider a U.S. Senate run if the Montana Republican Party's big names don't get in the race. The ex-Navy officer has been the focus of a recruitment effort by a political action committee called Afghanistan & Iraq Veterans for Congress. The group lauds his leadership in the famed SEAL Team Six and a biography that included a stint in the Montana state Senate. Interest in the race has sharpened since six-term U.S. Sen. Max Baucus a... Full story
HELENA — Gov. Steve Bullock and state employee unions announced a deal Wednesday for across-the-board pay increases starting next month. The Montana Public Employees Association said that upon ratification, employees will get a 3 percent raise starting in July and another 5 percent raise in November 2014. The governor's office said that most employees have not had a pay raise since 2008. Union executive director Quinton Nyman said bargainers tried to get the largest raises possible as soon as they could with the money a... Full story
HELENA (AP) — Heavy rains east of the Continental Divide have dampened predictions for an early and active fire season in Montana, although the southwestern area of the state could face problems during late summer, the governor was told Monday. The forecast came as Gov. Steve Bullock kicked off wildfire awareness week with a briefing from more than a dozen state and federal land managers and fire experts. Bullock noted that half of all wildfires are caused by people. Activities around the state during the next week will h... Full story
HELENA (AP) — A group of Republican lawmakers is launching plans for a ballot measure aimed at shedding light on so-called "dark money" in politics. The effort is led by legislators who have been billing themselves as the "Responsible Republicans" in ongoing battles with conservative foes in the GOP ranks. Some of the veteran lawmakers were targeted last year with attack mailers from anonymous groups in contentious GOP primary battles last year. State Sen. Bruce Tutvedt of Kalispell said Monday that voters deserve to know w... Full story
HELENA — A Republican lawmaker is arguing it will take more money — not less — in politics to beat back the tidal wave of so-called dark money. Rep. Scott Reichner, of Bigfork, wants to increase the donation limits candidates can receive from various sources, for instance individuals could give $2,500 instead of $500 to a candidate for governor. There would be no limit on the amount of money political party or action committees could contribute. The Republican argues that the increase makes sense since the donations would...
HELENA — A Republican state senator launched a long-shot bid Thursday for a constitutional amendment that would require prior judicial experience for Montana Supreme Court justices. The proposal would require approval from 100 of 150 lawmakers before it could be sent to the voters, a tough hurdle to clear even if all 90 Republicans in the Legislature back it. But Fred Thomas, of Stevensville, said he thinks the measure has a "50-50" chance. As written, the measure would require candidates to have experience as a District C...
AP Photo/Matt Gouras State Sen. Tom Facey, D-Missoula, right, tells the Montana Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday that it should remove an obsolete state law that criminalized gay sex before it was struck down by the courts. The Senate Judiciary panel listened to testimony on a proposal that would remove an obsolete state law tha criminalized gay sex before it was struck down by the courts. HELENA (AP) — Gay rights advocates said Monday they hope the Legislature will finally repeal an obsolete state law that c...
HELENA — Montana lawmakers are considering a proposal to repeal an obsolete state law that criminalized gay sex before it was struck down by the courts in the 1990s. Two years ago, a similar proposal to repeal the law cleared the Senate only to die in the more conservative House. But since then, the Montana Republican Party has removed from its platform the position that the GOP seeks to make homosexual acts illegal. The party remains opposed to gay marriage. More than a dozen advocates told the Senate Judiciary Committee o...
HELENA — A measure to strip jail time for some first-time misdemeanor offenders, leaving just fines in place, easily cleared the Montana Senate on Friday despite opposition from county attorneys. The proposal would mean that the state would no longer have to provide public defenders for those charged with the crimes. Backers argue it would save money, ease crowding in jails and free up busy public defenders. The Senate unanimously approved the measure 47-0. It faces another set of hearings in the House. The list of o...
HELENA (AP) — U.S. Sen. Jon Tester returned Monday to the place where he got his political start, urging state lawmakers to focus on bipartisan solutions and telling them the biggest challenge on the federal level will be balancing the budget. Tester is fresh off a bruising and expensive — but ultimately victorious — re-election campaign over Republican challenger Denny Rehberg. He said both sides need to put the sometimes bitter election process behind them and find common ground. Tester built on the emerging theme of coope...
