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Alert Network Members:
We have moved past the halfway point of the legislative session. The break is over and we are gearing up for the final run. The second half of the session has a different feel. The freshman legislators have become veterans. They have survived the difficult first half and are more comfortable with the process. Bills have been narrowed down dramatically since only about half have met transmittal deadline. The only bills still waiting to make the move to the other chamber are revenue bills.
The big news this week early on were the hearings for the “6 Pack” budget bills put together by the House leadership to replace HB 2 which had been the Governor’s budget. Hearings were held and we expect to see the bills come to the floor next week. This move by the Republican majority is contentious and most of the votes were straight party line. The bills came out of committee OK, but we will see what happens on the House floor. The budget bills will be the primary topic next week.
The other major occurrence this week was the House hearing for SB 306, the bill to abolish the death penalty in Montana and replace it with life without the possibility of parole. The hearing was quietly scheduled on Wednesday afternoon for Friday morning. Legislative rules require a minimum of 72 hours written notice for a hearing; this one was less than 48 hours. We protested to no avail, but let it drop because one extra day would not have made that much difference. We were hoping to get a week or two notice so we could organize speakers and handouts. But in all we do, we found the Lord has His Hand in all this and the hearing went very well. Former Montana Supreme Court Justice Skeff Sheehy provided solid compelling testimony about his change of heart after being involved with death penalty cases on the Supreme Court and as both a Representative and Senator. Senator Roy Brown spoke next, and as compelling as his testimony was on the Senate Floor during that debate, this was even more compelling. John Connor from the Attorney General’s office spoke next as a proponent to the bill. This is significant since the Attorney General has never supported repeal before. This was a seminal event. He spoke of the wasted hours and dollars spent on the death penalty when numerous studies have shown the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime. The lengthy appeal process is not conducive for closure for families. It is much more expensive and the limited dollars counties have could be better used funding police. He said the typical trial cost for a capital crime where the death penalty is being pursued would cost the county in which it is being pursued from $700,000 to over a million dollars. That’s just the trial. The appeals will cost the taxpayers of the entire state several hundred thousand dollars every year for 15 to 20 years. He said it’s just not good government policy. Betty Whitting, formerly the head of the appeals division of the Attorney General’s office, supported the concerns raised by Mr. Connor. Professor Jeffrey Renz from the School of Law at U of M, and Ed Sheehy Jr., division head for the Public Defenders Office, provided insightful reasons why the committee should support the bill. We were limited to 40 minutes of testimony and several other witnesses were merely allowed to state their names and say they supported the bill. Neither Bishop Thomas nor Fr. Jay Peterson was able to attend at such short notice, but provided written testimony for the committee.
The committee will conduct executive action early next week, which is when the committee votes to pass the bill to the floor or to kill it in committee. At last count we have 8 votes out of 17. So we need one more to get it to the full house. Please contact the Judiciary committee members and urge them to vote to get the bill to the floor of the House. This should not be decided by a committee of 17 members. We, the people of Montana, deserve to have all our elected representatives voting on a measure of such extreme importance. Note the committee names and contact information at the end of this email and send them a note to encourage a yes vote on SB 306 to get it onto the floor.
Next week will see the “6 pack” of budget bills come to the floor on Wednesday.
Saturday was the 51st legislative day. One thousand four hundred and forty nine bills have been introduced, 866 in the House and 583 in the Senate. Approximately 900 bills are still alive.
2007 Legislative Priorities
of the Montana Catholic Conference
The Montana Catholic Conference evaluates its legislative priorities in relation to the rich tradition of Catholic social teaching.
Pursuing Social Justice
“[They will say], ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:37-40
Our faith reflects God’s special concern for the poor and vulnerable and calls us to make their needs our first priority in public life. Economic decisions and institutions must be assessed on whether they protect or undermine the dignity of the human person.
HEALTH INSURANCE/HEALTH CARE
SB 22 Expand CHIP eligibility to 175% of fed poverty level. This bill is in the House awaiting committee assignment. It appears to me this CHIP bill has the best chance of passing. It has been referred to House Appropriations.
SB 421 SCHIP coverage for pregnant women was pulled at the request of the sponsor.
HB 387 Increase CHIP eligibility level from 150% to 200% of poverty level. This bill was tabled in committee and missed transmittal. On Saturday, March 10th, a motion was made to take it out of committee to a vote on the floor. It got the 60 votes to bring it to the floor, but failed second reading 53 to 47.
HB 198 Increase CHIP Dental Benefit passed the House. It has been scheduled for hearing in Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety on 3/23/07.
HB 406 Montana Community Health Center support act. This bill provides state funds to create new Community Health Centers and expand dental and mental health services in existing Centers. This bill is still hanging around in House Appropriations. It may have been put into one of the “6 pack” budget bills.
MENTAL HEALTH
HB 365 Fund suicide prevention. This important bill addresses the largest cause of death in young people. A hearing was held on 2-6 and was supported by a large group.
POVERTY/HOUSING/FOOD/ENERGY
HB 575 Revise TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) laws was tabled in committee and missed transmittal deadline.
HB 410 Create task force on reducing poverty in Montana was tabled in committee, but it is an appropriations bill so it is still alive, but just barely.
SB 264 to provide for low income rates for local government utilities passed the Senate 28-22 and is on its way to the House.
HB 516 Fund affordable housing revolving loan act. This bill was tabled in Committee. It missed the transmittal deadline and is probably dead.
HB 391 Use of food stamps at farmers markets was tabled in committee. It missed the transmittal deadline and is probably dead.
HB 396 allowing WIC vouchers to be used at farmers markets was also tabled in committee. It missed the transmittal deadline and is probably dead.
TITLE LOANS
HB 29 A bill to Revise laws on Title and Pay Day loans by Representative John Parker. This bill has been heard, but has run into major problems. This bill has been tabled in committee. It missed the transmittal deadline and is probably dead.
CORRECTIONS
A special subcommittee has completed its work. We will try to track the individual bills as they come to the floor.
HB 475 Fund training opportunities at women’s prison has been sent to House Appropriations. A hearing was held on 2-12. I felt the hearing was positive, but no action has been taken. This bill is still in appropriations.
HB 452 Achievement Credit Bill. The purpose of this bill is to allow for credits to reduce sentence restrictions for parolees who, on their own, go to school or learn a trade. This bill has been referred to Senate Judiciary.
HB 698 Revise laws for transition money for released inmates. This bill would have provided increased amounts of gate money to help released inmates get started on the streets. This was a good bill and we supported it. Unfortunately, it was tabled in committee. I believe the decision was short sighted, but it missed the transmittal deadline and is probably dead.
DRUG TREATMENT AND DRUG COURTS
Increasing drug treatment and mental health treatment in our prisons has not made it to committee. Drug courts are a very affective means of working with those convicted of non-violent drug offenses. Success has been very high in these courts.
HB 78 Fund and administer drug treatment courts. This bill requests $2,000,000 to fund drug courts in Montana. This is one of two nearly identical bills. This one comes from the Democratic side of the isle. The other is the Republican version. Both bills are still in appropriations.
HB 472 Appropriate funding of Drug Courts. This bill, the Republican version, requests $2 million to fund Drug Courts in the state for the next biennium.
These efforts are very important to the future of safe communities and controlling costs in our Corrections system. Treatment and keeping non-violent offenders in the communities and in their jobs has a much greater success rate than locking them up in prisons. We support these efforts as a benefit for the common good.
Those of you who support the work of drug courts need to write to the House Appropriations Committee and ask for support in funding these very important programs.
IMMIGRATION
SB 258 Deny licenses and license renewal to illegal aliens. This bill states that you have to prove you have a valid SSN to get a state license for construction or other business enterprises. It passed third reading 31-19 and is currently in the House.
SB 346 Prohibiting certain contracts with illegal aliens was passed to the House.
SB 260 Felony for illegal alien to register to vote. This bill was held up in the Senate with a motion to indefinitely postpone the floor vote. It was not resurrected and is therefore dead.
HB 185 Injunction and license revocation procedures for hiring illegal aliens was tabled in House Judiciary, it missed transmittal deadline and is presumed dead.
Protecting Human Life
“We must begin with a commitment never to intentionally kill, or collude in the killing, of any innocent human life, no matter how broken, unformed, disabled or desperate that life may seem.” USCCB, Living the Gospel of Life
ABORTION
SB 500 Remove prohibition of CHIP insurance for contraception. This bill failed third reading with a tie vote 25-25. It missed transmittal and is dead.
LC1048 Eliminate liability limits for abortion services for minors. This did not get out of draft so it is dead.
HB 403 Constitutionally recognize life begins at conception. This bill, sponsored by Rick Jore, required a constitutional amendment. Passage in our state houses would have put it on the ballot in the next election cycle. An amendment was added in the committee saying it did not protect life if associated with the death penalty. The amendment confused the issue at best. It was removed on the House floor, but caused enough confusion to affect the vote. It was defeated in the House.
LC1582 Ban embryonic stem cell research. This draft has been put on hold at the request of the sponsor. It will not come up this session.
LC1607 Encourage federal funding for stem cell research. This bill was ready for delivery, but was not picked up so it cannot be introduced this session.
HB 321 Parental consent or judicial bypass for abortions. This bill passed the House and is on its way to the Senate. The sponsor believes this bill with the judicial bypass option will prove to be constitutional. It could have a tough fight in the Senate. We support this bill.
HB 215 Ban human cloning research has been referred to the Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee, then was re-referred to the Senate Judiciary. No hearing date has been set.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
SB 306 An act to eliminate the death penalty and replace it with life in prison without the possibility of parole. This bill passed the Senate and was heard in House Judiciary on Friday, March 9th. Executive action is slated for Monday the 11th. We need one more vote to get it to the House floor.
We have a chance to pass this bill in Montana. It will be very hard in the House, but not many people gave us a chance in the Senate. Today is the day and we welcome anyone who can help. We need prayers first and foremost. We also need people to contact the Judicial Committee members listed below.
Thanks to all of you who wrote emails from the last statement. One of the committee members told me she must have received over 100 emails. Let’s get 200 to each of them before executive action, and then flood the floor before the vote there. This is very much a public opinion vote. Most legislators believe the folks back home support the death penalty. That comes from the newspaper phone in polls. They need to hear from those who do not support the death penalty. So write each of them. Get your friends and neighbors to do the same. Make note here that some of the email addresses listed before were not correct. They bounced back, so one of you found the correct addresses and sent them to me. They are now correct. Thanks for all your help. The finish line is near; we just need to keep up the pace. Keep your prayers and letters coming.
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Diane, Rice (R) – Chair, Harrison, drice@3rivers.net
Ron Stoker (R) - Vice Chair, Darby, stoker@montana.com
Dave Gallik (D) - Vice Chair, Helena, GALLIK@IN-TCH.COM
Douglas Cordier (D) Columbia Falls, bede@digisys.net
Robyn Driscoll (D) Billings, rdriscoll@peoplepc.com
Bob Ebinger (D) Livingston, buffalojump@ycsi.net
George Everett (R) Kalispell, ixoye777@centurytel.net
Julie French (D) Scobey, julfrench71@yahoo.com
Rick Jore (C) Ronan, rickjore@hotmail.com
Krayton Kerns (R) Laurel, krayton@kraytonkerns.org
Roger Koopman (R) Bozeman, koopman@imt.net
Deborah Kottel (D) Great Falls, DKOTTEL@UGF.EDU
Tom McGillvray (R) Billings, tmcgillvray@bresnan.net
Jesse O'Hara (R) Great Falls, (no email)
Ken Peterson (R) Billings, kenneth59@bresnan.net
Holly Raser (D) Missoula, repraser98@bresnan.net
John Ward (R) Helena, hd84ward@wmconnect.com
Legislative Messages: 1-406-444-4800
House of Representatives mailing address:
Representative name
PO Box 200400
Helena, Mt 59620-0400
Fax 1-406-444-4825
Promoting Family Life
“As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.” Pope John Paul II
ADOPTION/FOSTER CARE
HB 490 Adoption tax credit passed the House 100 to 0. No negative votes in committee or on the floor. It is on its way to the Senate. It will correct the inadvertent tax penalty that occurs in Montana if adoptive parents take the tax credit offered by the federal government. The bill has been referred to Senate Taxation Committee.
HB 713 Revise post-adoption services This bill corrects a law that forbids private agencies from providing post-adoptive services to birth mothers. Agencies currently cannot help birthmothers with fees for GED, books, tuition, or other educational expenses. They cannot hire them, even part time, or provide for other needs they may have as they heal and try to get back on their feet. This bill corrects those issues. It passed the house and is scheduled for hearing in Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Monday, March 19th. This is another bill we may have trouble with in the Senate so your emails urging support would be appreciated. Tell them these young ladies have made one of the most courageous and difficult decisions of their lives and we need to honor them for that.
PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE, AND SAFETY
M, W, F 3 pm in Rm 317B
Weinberg, Dan (D) – Ch, Whitefish dweinberg@centurytel.net
Moss, Lynda (D) – V. Ch, Billings LYNDAMOSS@IMT.NET
Cobb, John (R) Augusta, cobbchar@3rivers.net1
Esp, John (R) Big Timber, jesp@mcn.net
Gillan, Kim (D) Billings, glonky@aol.com
Murphy, Terry (R) Cardwell, no email listed
O'Neil, Jerry (R) Columbia Falls, ONEIL@CENTURYTEL.NET
Schmidt, Trudi (D) Great Falls, TRUDI@IN-TCH.COM
Williams, Carol (D) Missoula, CWILLIAMS@MONTANADSL.NET
FAMILY
HB 638 Fund family planning. This bill has been referred to Appropriations. A hearing has been scheduled for Friday, March 16th.
HB 312 Amend the constitution to establish a parental bill of rights, introduced by Representative Michael Lange, R, Billings. It passed the House 51-49 and is on its way to the Senate. Since it is a constitutional amendment it needs 2/3 of the combined House and Senate. It therefore needs 49 votes out of a possible 50 in the Senate to pass.
HB 118 Revise law on dispensing contraceptives. This bill passed the house, and is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday March 14th in Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety.
HB 612 Create responsible sexual health program was tabled in committee.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
LC1115 Establish Domestic partnerships. This bill is currently on hold and is not expected to make it to the floor. It cannot be introduced this session.
SB 371 Include sexual orientation and gender identity in certain laws. This bill was tabled in committee. It missed transmittal and is dead.
SB454 Include sexual orientation in hate crimes law. This bill was tabled in committee. It missed transmittal and is dead.
Pursuit of the Common Good
In order for all of us to have an opportunity to grow and develop fully, a certain social fabric must exist within society. This is the common good. Numerous social conditions – economic, political, material, and cultural – impact our ability to realize our human dignity and reach our full potential.
RURAL LIFE/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
HB 451 Small town renewal program is still being held in House Appropriations.
CATHOLIC HOSPITALS
SB 118 Eliminate sunset for hospital bed tax. This bill could have a major impact on our Catholic Hospitals and others in the state. It passed the Senate and has been referred to House Appropriations.
OTHER/CHURCH/NON PROFITS
Extend charitable endowment tax credit. There are 3 bills now in the hopper for endowments and building projects. None of them are looking very good for funding Church buildings, due to the size of the fiscal note. However they are not done. The latest word is one of the bills will be capped at 15% and brought to the floor. This is not all we wanted, but it is better than we expected.
Alerts for Week of March 12-16
Committee Hearings of Interest:
****Note of interest. Committee hearings are changing with very little notice. Please check on line for current status.
Monday, March 12
HB 315 Property tax reduction for excess budget, room 102 at 8 am.
Tuesday, March 13
HB 719 Child and dependent care tax credit, room 102 at 8:00 am
HB 734 Critical funding for community mental health, room 102 at
8:00 am.
Wednesday, March 14
HB 157 Revise CHIP Laws, room 317B at 3:00 pm.
HB 118 Revise law on dispensing contraceptives, room 317B at 3:00 pm.
Friday, March 16
HB 638 State Funding for Family Planning, room 102, upon adjournment.
HB 577 Children’s health care act, room 317B at 3:00 pm.
EVENTS OF INTEREST
MAC (Montana Association of Churches) Day at the Legislature, ecumenical prayer service in the Capitol Rotunda, March 14th, from 12:15 to 12:35.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Who is my legislator? Call 1-406-444-4800
Legislative Messages: 1-406-444-4800
Senate mailing address:
Senator name
PO Box 200500
Helena, Mt 59620-0500
Fax 1-406-444-4875
House of Representatives mailing address:
Representative name
PO Box 200400
Helena, Mt 59620-0400
Fax 1-406-444-4825
MCC contact information:
Moe Wosepka, Executive Director
Office 442-5761
Email: director@montanacc.org
Website: www.montanacc.org
To subscribe to the MCC Legislative Alert Network Email: mccalertnetwork@bresnan.net or log onto our website www.montanacc.org
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