Final Bill Status... Legislature 2019 - Endgame

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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

• 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