Montana House backs bipartisan budget plan

HELENA — Even the architects of a surprising bipartisan House budget deal didn't expect the unprecedented unanimous vote from the chamber on Tuesday.

"I had no idea in my wildest imagination," Republican Rep. Duane Ankney of Colstrip said after a 100-0 vote on a roughly $9 billion spending plan.

"Wow," said Democratic Rep. Galen Hollenbaugh of Helena.

The chamber broke into applause Tuesday morning after endorsing the budget in a little over an hour — a process has taken days in the past. There was no debate or dissent — although each side promised to take lingering issues to allies in the Sen...