A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
Several Montana political blogs have published initial reviews of what the 2015 session of the Montana Legislature accomplished, and failed to accomplish, as have most of the state’s major newspapers. At the Flathead Beacon, for example, former Democratic legislator Mike Jopek reported instances of local bipartisanship he found praiseworthy. More reviews, some awarding grades, will follow.
Later, organizations with major stakes in legislation — for example, the Montana Chamber of Commerce and Montana Conservation Voters — will publish scorecards on what happened to their legislative objectives and give legislators scores that will be cited in campaign literature. That chore takes considerable time and hard work, and the product seldom is devoid of some political spin.
I’m considering a review of, a scorecard on, and grades for the bills that I found of interest and/or importance, but if produced it won’t be produced immediately.
Legislators requested 2,471 bills, introduced 1,187, and passed hundreds. The final numbers won’t be available until Gov. Bullock finishes dealing with bills.
Today, for example, he signed SB-405, the mean-spirited, Republican introduced, but mostly Democrat supported, bill that extends Medicaid to just 46,000 of the 70,000 or so thought to be eligible for it. Some believe the bill’s a victory over the Koch brothers and the American Tradition Partnership, and to a limited extent perhaps it is, but it’s actually much more a victory of private health insurance companies over good public health care policy.
He won’t be signing or vetoing HB-245, Rep. Nancy Ballance’s attempt to gut Montana’s public health system by legalizing some sales of raw milk. That’s because the bill died on a tie vote in the MT Senate, the second time in two sessions a bill on the issue failed by one vote in the Senate. The bill’s death is cause for heaving a huge sigh of relief. It’s also a reminder that while the science supporting good public health law often has been settled for decades, the politics of public health never is settled and the possibility that dangerous legislation will be introduced and passed is always with us.