MFPE 2019 Legislative Priorities (as of May 11). Bills marked with a VR will be included in MFPE's Legislator Voting Record which will be released later this year.
Bills we supported that passed
Bills we opposed that failed
Bills we watched that passed
Bills we supported that failed
Bills we opposed that passed
Bills we supported that passed
- HB 159(Grubbs) - Funds k-12 schools (absent prek). Signed by Governor. VR
- HB 175(Dooling) - Ratifies union negotiated state and university employee base pay, health insurance, and per diem. Signed by Governor. VR
- HB 351(McKamey) – Provides incentives for school districts to implement “transformational” learning. Signed by Governor. VR
- HB 387(Jones) – Expands personalized opportunities for students to accelerate career and college readiness.Signed by Governor. VR
- HB 638(Bedey) - Inflates special education funding for the biennium. Signed by Governor. VR
- HB 658(Buttrey) - Repeals Medicaid Expansion sunset with work-related requirements. Signed by Governor. VR
- SB 60(Salomon) - Dedicates $2 million in lottery net revenue to MUS STEM scholarships. Signed by Governor. VR
- SB 92(Salomon) - Provides greater local school district funding capacity to address school safety issues. Signed by Governor. VR
- SB 338(Gauthier/Cohenour) - Montana Museums Act: Provides funding for Montana Heritage Center and museums around Montana with a 1% tax increase in accommodations tax. Signed by Governor. VR
Bills we opposed that failed
- HB 303(DeVries) – Abolishes compulsory education. Tabled House Education.
- HB 396(M. Regier) – Prohibits public employees from supporting or opposing ballot issues and political candidates. Tabled House State Administration.
- HB755(Moore) - Governor's prek bill that creates taxpayer funded public and private charter pre-k schools governed by a department of early childhood independent of local school districts, board of public education, and office of public instruction. Tabled House Education - Failed two attempts to amend into SB 352Free Conference Committee.
- SB 234(Fitzpatrick) – Steps toward privatization of Montana State Fund. Passed Senate - Failed 2d Reading House. VR
Bills we watched that passed
- HB 211(Jones) – Establishes new hire debt repayment. Signed by Governor.
- HB 323(Tschida) – Codifies Janus. Vetoed. Veto Message
- HB 567(Skees) – Creates public school marshal program. Vetoed. Veto Message
- SB 139(Lang) - Incentivizes teachers to retire at 27 years, draw full retirement, and continue to teach in 2d and 3d class sized school communities. Signed by Governor.
Bills we supported that failed
- 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.
- HB 477(Funk) – As amended in House Judiciary requires OPI to develop model firearms safety training policies and procedures. Passed House - Tabled Senate Judiciary.
- SB 128 (Cohenour) – Repeals state employee longevity pay break in service penalty. Tabled Senate State Administration.
- SB 152(Barrett) – Makes 6-mill MUS levy permanent. Tabled House Tax. VR
Bills we opposed that passed
- 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. Vetoed. Veto Message VR
- HB 357(M. Regier) – Legislative Referendum – same intent as HB 325 but not subject to gubernatorial veto. Passed Legislature. VR
- SB 304(R. Webb) – Authorizes legislators to conceal carry on state property, including the Capitol building. Vetoed. Veto Message VR