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Windy Boy expects Caferro Medicaid expansion bill to be tabled

Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, said from Helena during a teleconference in Havre that negotiations on the future of Montana's Medicaid expansion will not be a compromise but rather an unavoidable choice between two alternatives, and he expects the bill he likes to be tabled.

Windy Boy said that he prefers the bill written by Rep. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, to extend the sunset for Medicaid, but after speaking with Rep. Edward Buttrey, R-Great Falls, about the bill he will be introducing, Windy Boy said he believes Caferro's bill will be tabled in committee.

"I asked him point blank," he said. "I said, 'Does your bill have to have a work requirement?' He said yes, because that's the way he can hold onto the votes on the majority side."

Rep. Jacob Bachmeier said that he had a few updates on bills he has introduced.

Bachmeier and Windy Boy were the only local legislators to attend the teleconference.

Bachmeier said his House Bill 252, which would require vehicle insurance providers to cover original or equal-value manufacturer vehicle parts, was tabled in the Business and Labor Committee.

He added that he has been working with Sen. Gordon Vance, R-Belgrade, who is writing a bill that will do the same thing. Vance's bill, he said, will be going through the Transportation Committee rather than the Business and Labor Committee, and he hopes that will be more successful.

He said another bill he is working on would revise laws on transportation of people with mental illness. The law would allow Emergency Medical Service and other groups to transfer people with mental illness rather than the county sheriff being required to be involved, he said.

A bill to adopt a vacant property registration act statewide was met with some opposition, Bachmeier said. Members of the banking industry, realtors and the Landlord Association appeared during the hearing to oppose the bill. He said that he is still hopeful that members on the Local Government Committee will support the bill.

He said a bill he is also excited about will allow for passport driver's licenses. Bachmeiersaid he proposed the bill Thursday to the Energy, Technology and Federal Relations Committee. He added that the bill would create an enhanced Montana driver's license that would allow people to go to countries in south and north America from the United States.

"It works much like a passport card would but it is also a driver's license," he said. "It saves you time and money in the process."

He added that a bill for revising laws related to selling and manufacturing of pet food, a bill inspired by owner of Ladybug Bites Havreite Keeley Wilson, would be introduced by the end of the day Friday.

A hearing was scheduled Friday for his House Bill 391, which would provide funding for historical development. He said that out of this bill Havre Beneath the Streets would have access to approximately $100,000 through a grant for repairs and development.

The State Administration Committee also recently passed a bill to recognize Indigenous People's Day the same day as Columbus Day, Bachmeier said. He added that the bill passed the committee with a 17-to-3 vote.

Windy Boy said a few of the bills he is working on are moving forward, as well.

One of the bills he has been working on, he said, is House Bill 135, a bill that would allow tribal college credit to transfer to off-reservation universities and colleges.

Native students shouldn't take six years to achieve a four-year bachelor's degree, he said. He added that this bill would get people together an unify college curriculums.

"It's a win-win situation for everybody," he said.

He said he is unsure what actions will be taken on this bill. He added that tribal colleges have not only tribal students but non-tribal students, as well, and this legislation would help students be able to achieve their degrees.

Another bill he is working on, Windy Boy said, would revise laws related to Indian language immersion programs in schools by trying to create an all-inclusive solution to the issues.

"Were not going anywhere, so we might as well try to address some of the shortfalls that we face," Windy Boy said.

 

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