Bad bill week: Day 5 –
This is a morning report. Legislators are dropping new bills now without a lot of notice . . . and committees must act on general legislation quickly for bills they like to make transmittal. So look for possible additions and changes this evening or tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile three really bad bills demand your attention.
HB 376 - charter schools
HB 385 - guns in schools
HB 423 – pay vouchers for private and religious schools
Today’s Summary (Blue means support. Red means oppose.)
Scroll down for content.
Here is an easy link to contact specific legislators and committees:
http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
_____________________________
Bills we support
SB 85 (Moe) – fiscal note – Decennial bill necessary to place the Montana University System 6 mill levy on the 2018 general election ballot.
Passed House 2d Reading. To be heard in House Appropriations today, February 16.
__________________
SB 115 (Moe) – fiscal note - Provides a $3,000 per year stipend for National Board Certified Teachers.
Heard Senate Finance and Claims January 31. The committee could take executive action on SB 115 any day.
_______________
HB 32 (Kelker) - Increases special education funding for the coming biennium.
Passed House 2d reading. Tabled in House Appropriations. I will drop HB 32 from this list until it rises miraculously from the dead. See HB 270
______________
HB 270 (Anderson) – Provides funds for career and technical education for the coming biennium.
Passed House 2d reading. Tabled in House Appropriations. I will also drop this bill from the list. House Appropriations is where spending bills go to die.
Both 270 and 32 could rise from the dead if and when the legislature gets serious about raising new revenue and prioritizing how it should be spent. But not until then. See HB 32.
________________
HB 387 (Wagoner) – Authorizes a 12 bed assessment and stabilization unit (ASU) for seriously impacted patients on into an indefinite future AND gives MDC two more years to close effective June 30, 2019. This is likely the best we can do to help repair the damage the last legislature did when it ordered MDC to close effective June 30, this year.
Heard in House Human Services February 15.
________________
Bills we oppose
SB 99 (C. Smith) – Prohibits enforcement of federal firearms laws by Montana public employees.
Heard in Senate Judiciary February 15. Basically a state’s rights nullification bill. Or maybe a secessionist bill. Ridiculous and embarrassing.
_______________
HB 280 (Brodehl) – Authorizes legislators to carry handguns on state property.
Passed House. Vote. Referred to Senate Judiciary. If legislators are ready to weaponize our state Capitol, they are definitely ready to weaponize our public schools. Outrageous. See HB 385 below.
________________
HB 376 (Windy Boy) – legal note - Establishes local district charter schools, chartered through a politicized state charter commission, “not subject to the general supervision of the board of public education or the accreditation standards.” In addition to bad public policy and a frontal assault on the board of public education and school accreditation and teacher licensure standards, HB 376 is unconstitutional.
Absolutely nothing prevents a local school district from working with the board of public education to establish a charter school pursuant to rule – 10.55.604. In fact, absolutely nothing prevents a local school district from establishing innovative educational environments with or without the board of public education.
Heard in House Education February 15.
Urge members of House Education to oppose HB 376.
http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
(H)Education -- Standing Committee
Rep. FRED ANDERSON (R)
Rep. JACOB BACHMEIER (D)
Rep. BECKY BEARD (R)
Rep. BRYCE BENNETT (D)
Rep. SETH BERGLEE (R)--Chair
Rep. AMANDA CURTIS (D)
Rep. JEFF ESSMANN (R)--Vice Chair
Rep. MOFFIE FUNK (D)--Vice Chair
Rep. EDWARD GREEF (R)
Rep. GREG HERTZ (R)
Rep. JEAN PRICE (D)
Rep. CASEY SCHREINER (D)
Rep. LOLA SHELDON-GALLOWAY (R)
Rep. SCOTT STAFFANSON (R)
Rep. SUE VINTON (R)
Rep. PEGGY WEBB (R)
Rep. SUSAN WEBBER (D)
_______________
HB 385 (Berglee) – “Montana School Safety Act” empowers a school district employee with a valid concealed weapons permit to carry a concealed handgun in school.” Ridiculous and dangerous.
Heard in House Judiciary February 14. See HB 280 above.
Urge members of House Judiciary to oppose guns in schools.
http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
(H)Judiciary -- Standing Committee
Rep. SETH BERGLEE (R)--Vice Chair
Rep. LAURIE BISHOP (D)
Rep. BOB BROWN (R)
Rep. VIRGINIA COURT (D)--Vice Chair
Rep. ALAN DOANE (R)--Chair
Rep. JENNY ECK (D)
Rep. BILL HARRIS (R)
Rep. ELLIE HILL SMITH (D)
Rep. KATHY KELKER (D)
Rep. CASEY KNUDSEN (R)
Rep. THERESA MANZELLA (R)
Rep. NATE MCCONNELL (D)
Rep. SHANE MORIGEAU (D)
Rep. DALE MORTENSEN (R)
Rep. ZAC PERRY (D)
Rep. MATT REGIER (R)
Rep. LOLA SHELDON-GALLOWAY (R)
Rep. BARRY USHER (R)
Rep. KIRK WAGONER (R)
__________________
HB 423 (Berglee) – legal note – creates pay vouchers (a mix of state and local public school dollars) for special needs kids, 504 kids, military dependents, and all their siblings to go to any school they want anywhere in the world.
To be heard in House Education, February 15, right along with Rep. Windy Boy’s charter school bill, HB 376. Like HB 376, atrocious public policy and unconstitutional. Governor Bullock vetoed pretty much this same bill last session.
Urge members of House Education to oppose HB 376.
http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
(H)Education -- Standing Committee
Rep. FRED ANDERSON (R)
Rep. JACOB BACHMEIER (D)
Rep. BECKY BEARD (R)
Rep. BRYCE BENNETT (D)
Rep. SETH BERGLEE (R)--Chair
Rep. AMANDA CURTIS (D)
Rep. JEFF ESSMANN (R)--Vice Chair
Rep. MOFFIE FUNK (D)--Vice Chair
Rep. EDWARD GREEF (R)
Rep. GREG HERTZ (R)
Rep. JEAN PRICE (D)
Rep. CASEY SCHREINER (D)
Rep. LOLA SHELDON-GALLOWAY (R)
Rep. SCOTT STAFFANSON (R)
Rep. SUE VINTON (R)
Rep. PEGGY WEBB (R)
Rep. SUSAN WEBBER (D)
This is a morning report. Legislators are dropping new bills now without a lot of notice . . . and committees must act on general legislation quickly for bills they like to make transmittal. So look for possible additions and changes this evening or tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile three really bad bills demand your attention.
HB 376 - charter schools
HB 385 - guns in schools
HB 423 – pay vouchers for private and religious schools
Today’s Summary (Blue means support. Red means oppose.)
- SB 85 – passed House 2d reading - rereferred to House Appropriations
- SB 115 – sitting around Senate Finance
- HB 32 – passed House 2d reading - tabled in House Appropriations
- HB 270 – passed House 2d reading - tabled in House Appropriations
- HB 387 – heard in House Human Services
- SB 99 – heard in Senate Judiciary
- HB 280 – passed House – transmitted to Senate
- HB 376 – heard in House Education - Contact members of the committee. Urge them to vote NO.
- HB 385 – heard in House Judiciary - Contact members of the committee. Urge them to vote NO.
- HB 423 – heard in House Education – Contact members of the committee. Urge them to vote NO.
Scroll down for content.
Here is an easy link to contact specific legislators and committees:
http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
_____________________________
Bills we support
SB 85 (Moe) – fiscal note – Decennial bill necessary to place the Montana University System 6 mill levy on the 2018 general election ballot.
Passed House 2d Reading. To be heard in House Appropriations today, February 16.
__________________
SB 115 (Moe) – fiscal note - Provides a $3,000 per year stipend for National Board Certified Teachers.
Heard Senate Finance and Claims January 31. The committee could take executive action on SB 115 any day.
_______________
HB 32 (Kelker) - Increases special education funding for the coming biennium.
Passed House 2d reading. Tabled in House Appropriations. I will drop HB 32 from this list until it rises miraculously from the dead. See HB 270
______________
HB 270 (Anderson) – Provides funds for career and technical education for the coming biennium.
Passed House 2d reading. Tabled in House Appropriations. I will also drop this bill from the list. House Appropriations is where spending bills go to die.
Both 270 and 32 could rise from the dead if and when the legislature gets serious about raising new revenue and prioritizing how it should be spent. But not until then. See HB 32.
________________
HB 387 (Wagoner) – Authorizes a 12 bed assessment and stabilization unit (ASU) for seriously impacted patients on into an indefinite future AND gives MDC two more years to close effective June 30, 2019. This is likely the best we can do to help repair the damage the last legislature did when it ordered MDC to close effective June 30, this year.
Heard in House Human Services February 15.
________________
Bills we oppose
SB 99 (C. Smith) – Prohibits enforcement of federal firearms laws by Montana public employees.
Heard in Senate Judiciary February 15. Basically a state’s rights nullification bill. Or maybe a secessionist bill. Ridiculous and embarrassing.
_______________
HB 280 (Brodehl) – Authorizes legislators to carry handguns on state property.
Passed House. Vote. Referred to Senate Judiciary. If legislators are ready to weaponize our state Capitol, they are definitely ready to weaponize our public schools. Outrageous. See HB 385 below.
________________
HB 376 (Windy Boy) – legal note - Establishes local district charter schools, chartered through a politicized state charter commission, “not subject to the general supervision of the board of public education or the accreditation standards.” In addition to bad public policy and a frontal assault on the board of public education and school accreditation and teacher licensure standards, HB 376 is unconstitutional.
Absolutely nothing prevents a local school district from working with the board of public education to establish a charter school pursuant to rule – 10.55.604. In fact, absolutely nothing prevents a local school district from establishing innovative educational environments with or without the board of public education.
Heard in House Education February 15.
Urge members of House Education to oppose HB 376.
http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
(H)Education -- Standing Committee
Rep. FRED ANDERSON (R)
Rep. JACOB BACHMEIER (D)
Rep. BECKY BEARD (R)
Rep. BRYCE BENNETT (D)
Rep. SETH BERGLEE (R)--Chair
Rep. AMANDA CURTIS (D)
Rep. JEFF ESSMANN (R)--Vice Chair
Rep. MOFFIE FUNK (D)--Vice Chair
Rep. EDWARD GREEF (R)
Rep. GREG HERTZ (R)
Rep. JEAN PRICE (D)
Rep. CASEY SCHREINER (D)
Rep. LOLA SHELDON-GALLOWAY (R)
Rep. SCOTT STAFFANSON (R)
Rep. SUE VINTON (R)
Rep. PEGGY WEBB (R)
Rep. SUSAN WEBBER (D)
_______________
HB 385 (Berglee) – “Montana School Safety Act” empowers a school district employee with a valid concealed weapons permit to carry a concealed handgun in school.” Ridiculous and dangerous.
Heard in House Judiciary February 14. See HB 280 above.
Urge members of House Judiciary to oppose guns in schools.
http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
(H)Judiciary -- Standing Committee
Rep. SETH BERGLEE (R)--Vice Chair
Rep. LAURIE BISHOP (D)
Rep. BOB BROWN (R)
Rep. VIRGINIA COURT (D)--Vice Chair
Rep. ALAN DOANE (R)--Chair
Rep. JENNY ECK (D)
Rep. BILL HARRIS (R)
Rep. ELLIE HILL SMITH (D)
Rep. KATHY KELKER (D)
Rep. CASEY KNUDSEN (R)
Rep. THERESA MANZELLA (R)
Rep. NATE MCCONNELL (D)
Rep. SHANE MORIGEAU (D)
Rep. DALE MORTENSEN (R)
Rep. ZAC PERRY (D)
Rep. MATT REGIER (R)
Rep. LOLA SHELDON-GALLOWAY (R)
Rep. BARRY USHER (R)
Rep. KIRK WAGONER (R)
__________________
HB 423 (Berglee) – legal note – creates pay vouchers (a mix of state and local public school dollars) for special needs kids, 504 kids, military dependents, and all their siblings to go to any school they want anywhere in the world.
To be heard in House Education, February 15, right along with Rep. Windy Boy’s charter school bill, HB 376. Like HB 376, atrocious public policy and unconstitutional. Governor Bullock vetoed pretty much this same bill last session.
Urge members of House Education to oppose HB 376.
http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
(H)Education -- Standing Committee
Rep. FRED ANDERSON (R)
Rep. JACOB BACHMEIER (D)
Rep. BECKY BEARD (R)
Rep. BRYCE BENNETT (D)
Rep. SETH BERGLEE (R)--Chair
Rep. AMANDA CURTIS (D)
Rep. JEFF ESSMANN (R)--Vice Chair
Rep. MOFFIE FUNK (D)--Vice Chair
Rep. EDWARD GREEF (R)
Rep. GREG HERTZ (R)
Rep. JEAN PRICE (D)
Rep. CASEY SCHREINER (D)
Rep. LOLA SHELDON-GALLOWAY (R)
Rep. SCOTT STAFFANSON (R)
Rep. SUE VINTON (R)
Rep. PEGGY WEBB (R)
Rep. SUSAN WEBBER (D)
