MFPE Priority Bill Status Update

MFPE 2019 Legislative Priorities (as of 3/31)
 
Offense(Bills we support)
 
State and University 

• SB 152(Barrett) – Makes 6-mill MUS levy permanent.  Passed Senate – Heard House Tax.

• SB 338(Gauthier/Cohenour) - Montana Museums Act: Provides funding for Montana Heritage Center with a 1% tax increase in accommodations tax.  Passed Senate - Transmitted to House.

k-12

• HB 211(Jones) – Funds quality education loan repayment.  Passed House - Passed Senate Education. 
• HB 351(McKamey) – Provides incentives for school districts to implement “transformational” learning.  Passed House - Passed Senate - Returned to House.
• HB 387(Jones) – Expands personalized opportunities for students to accelerate career and college readiness.  Passed House - Passed Senate - Returned to House.
• HB 638(Bedey) - Inflates special education funding for the biennium.  Passed House - Passed Senate Finance

Miscellaneous

• HB 477(Funk) – As amended in House Judiciary requires OPI to develop model firearms safety training policies and procedures. Passed House - Referred to Senate Judiciary. 

 
Defense(Bills we oppose) 

• HB 325(M. Regier) – Repeals a local government’s power to regulate the carrying of concealed weapons and authorizes a person with a concealed weapon permit to carry anywhere in public buildings including schools.  Passed House – 2d Reading Senate 4/1.
• HB 357(M. Regier) – Legislative Referendum – same intent as HB 325 but not subject to gubernatorial veto.  Passed House – 2d Reading Senate 4/1.

• SB 139(Lang) - Incentivizes premature teacher retirement to reward double-dipping at expense of TRS.  Passed Senate - Heard House Education.
• HB755(Moore) - Governor's prek bill that creates taxpayer funded public and private charter prek schools governed by a department and director of prek education independent of local school districts, board of public education, and office of public instruction.  Tabled House Education.  (DEAD yet?)
• SB 234(Fitzpatrick) – Steps toward privatization of Montana State Fund.  Passed Senate - Hearing House Business and Labor 3/4.
• SB 304(R. Webb) – Authorizes legislators to conceal carry on state property, including the Capitol building.  Passed Senate – Hearing House Judiciary 4/3.

 
Watch(Bills we watch)

• HB 567(Skees) – Creates public school marshal program.  Passed House – Heard Senate Judiciary.
• HB 658(Buttrey) - Repeals Medicaid Expansion sunset with work-related requirements.  Passed House - Transmitted to Senate. 

 
Victories

• HB 159(Grubbs) - Funds k-12 schools (absent prek).   Passed Legislature - Signed by Governor.
• HB 175(Dooling) - Ratifies union negotiated state and university employee base pay, health insurance, and per diem.  Passed Legislature - Signed by Governor.
• HB 148(Mandeville) – Requires supermajority of the House and Senate to increase a tax or fee.  Tabled Senate Tax.
• HB 303(DeVries) – Abolishes compulsory education.  Tabled House Education.
• HB 323(Tschida) – Codifies Janus.  Passed Legislature as amended.
• HB 396(M. Regier) – Prohibits public employees from supporting or opposing ballot issues and political candidates.  Tabled House State Administration.
• SB 297(Brown) – Requires 50% plus vote to approve school mill levy and bond issues.  Tabled Senate Education.
• SB 298(Brown) – Legislative Referendum – same intent as SB 297 but not subject to a gubernatorial veto.  Tabled Senate Education.

 
Defeats

• HB 27(Funk) – Inflates special education funding.  Tabled House Appropriations.
• HB 209 (Funk) – Authorizes state employee career ladders.  Tabled House Appropriations.
• HB 235(Fern) – Creates opportunity for school districts to create statewide school employee health care trust.  Tabled House Health and Human Services.
• HB 298(Pope) – Provides ANB funding of certain students with disabilities up to age 21.  Passed House - Tabled Senate Education. 
• HB 339(Moore) – Creates and funds loan repayment for Child Protective Specialists. Tabled House Appropriations.
• HB 455(Windy Boy) – Qualifies eligible classified school employees for unemployment compensation.  Tabled House Business and Labor.
• SB 128  (Cohenour) – Repeals state employee longevity pay break in service penalty.  Tabled Senate State Administration.