Tuss, Lang earn conservation honor roll distinction on 2023 Legislative

Scorecard

Staff and wire report

HELENA - Freshman Rep. Paul Tuss, D-Havre, scored a perfect 100 and earned a place on Montana Conservation Voters' bipartisan Honor Roll in the organization's 2023 Legislative Scorecard.

Sen. Mike Lang, R-Malta, also made the honor roll, primarily for his work on a bill dealing with revenue from marijuana taxes in the state.

The report details the voting records of Montana's lawmakers during the recently concluded 68th session of the Montana Legislature. Montana Conservation Voters's Legislative Scorecard evaluates and highlights the shortcomings of state officials while celebrating those who remained committed to Montana's public lands, clean air, and democracy.

The full report is available online at https://mtvoters.org/scorecard .

"I'm honored to make MCV's Honor Roll," Tuss said. "I know how much my constituents value access to Montana's public lands and a clean and healthy environment, and I'm proud that my efforts on their behalf made a difference."

According to the Scorecard, "Representative Paul Tuss came in strong as a freshman legislator, maintaining a perfect 100% score while being a strong advocate for conservation and democracy. Rep.Tuss made his mark in the Appropriations Committee where he asked hard-hitting questions, mostnotably during the Legislature's attempt to redirect marijuana tax revenue away from Habitat Montana, HB 462."

Tuss was the only freshman and one of only seven bipartisan legislators to make the Honor Roll. The Honor Roll and Scorecard's Hall of Shame represent MCV's commitment to Montanans to hold elected officials accountable for their actions and promote transparency in the legislative decision making process."

"The Big Sky State was under attack like never before with blatant attempts to shut the people out of the process, dirty our clean air and water and defund our public lands," said Whitney Tawney, executive director of Montana Conservation Voters. "Thankfully the people of Havre can count on Rep. Tuss to be an ardent champion for conservation and protect Montanan's public lands and waters for future generations."

Lang, one of the seven who made the honor roll, was praised for his work on Senate Bill 442, which proposed use of state marijuana tax revenues.

"It is Sen. Mike Lang's willingness to collaborate that landed him on the Honor Roll this year," the 2023 Legislative Scorecard said. "Although he started out with a bill that would strip marijuana tax revenue from Habitat Montana, he listened to the people and instead put forward SB 442, a once-in-a-generation public lands and habitat bill supported by thousands of Montanans, over 100 businesses and organizations, and 131 of the 150 legislators."

The bill apportioned the revenues between the state General Fund, county road construction and maintenance, conservation and recreation programs, addiction treatment and veterans services.

The bill was vetoed by Gov. Greg Gianforte, and a possible attempt to override that veto is being looked at.

That veto led Montana Conservation Voters to list Gianforte on its "Hall of Shame."

"Gov. Gianforte could be a TikTok meme: Tell me that you don't care about the people you represent without telling me you don't care about the people you represent," the scorecard said. "That's what Gov. Gianforte did when he not only vetoed SB 442, but did so at the 11th hour in a sneaky attempt to prevent the will of the people and legislature to override his veto."

Gianforte wrote in his veto letter that the bill creates a "slippery slope" by providing state funds for local governments to pay for work on roads.

Rep. Josh Kassmeier, R-Fort Benton, also made the "Hall of Shame," with the scorecard saying his "focus this session was to champion bills that were blatant giveaways to (NorthWestern Energy)," including a bill that reduced the requirements of evaluating greenhouse gas emissions when assessing proposed projects and a bill prohibiting local governments from requiring buildings be constructed to have solar panels, batteries or electric vehicle charges.