HELENA- I am excited to report that two of the first bills to reach Governor Gianforte’s desk will open our state’s economy and strengthen the 2nd Amendment rights of Montanans. Senate Bill 65 to limit COVID-19 liability and House Bill 102 to allow permitless carry have passed both houses of the Legislature and are on their way to Governor Gianforte for his signature.
Important education bills also passed the House and are headed to the Senate. In the past several legislatures, Republicans have prioritized funding our students early in the session and this year is no different as we overwhelmingly passed the K-12 funding bill. The TEACH Act to incentivize increases to starting teacher pay also passed the House. This is a priority bill for Governor Gianforte to recruit and retain more high-quality educators in Montana to prepare our state’s workforce for the future.
The House addressed elections this week by passing House Bill 176. This bill ends late registration the day before the election instead of 8pm on election day. Voting is a fundamental right and serious responsibility. This bill will ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity in elections. It also respects our local election administrators and volunteers by allowing them to focus solely on conducting elections on election day.
Finally, the House took action to address crime and ensure that Montana’s communities remain safe. House Bill 200 prevents sanctuary cities in the state. This bill states that local authorities cannot deny information requests from federal immigration officials who are investigating criminal cases.
Sue Vinton (R-Lockwood) is the Majority Leader of the Montana House of Representatives.
