| Photo credit: iStock John Pitcher |
We're coming to the end of the 2021 legislative session, so we need to keep an eye out for bad last-minute bill amendments and push Governor Gianforte to veto bad bills! This week we're prioritizing six bills for you to help us take action on. Below this week's six bills, if you have time, we also have a list of bills that we need your help to get vetoed by Governor Gianforte and a list of bills we need to stop in the House.
Last week, we held a virtual legislative lobbying event and discussed our priorities and strategy for the last few weeks of the legislative session. In case you missed the event, check out our virtual lobby toolkit to see background information and step-by-step guidance for actions to take on some of our highest priority bills!
One important action you can take is writing a letter to the editor about a bill you care about. Here are some tips for writing LTE's and Op-Eds. There are also sample LTE's in the virtual lobby toolkit linked above.
For other bills we're following, please check out our bill tracker page. Also, check out our citizen lobbying guide for more links and information, including how to find and contact your senator or representative. |
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Help Us Protect Wildlife
HB 302 & 318: Anti-Bison Bills - OPPOSE
These bills seek to prevent bison restoration efforts. HB 302 undermines Montana's authority to manage wildlife by taking the authority to manage bison from Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and ceding it to county commissioners. HB 318 limits the definition of "wild" bison to only include bison that have never been “reduced to captivity” or subject to the per capita fee for livestock. This more restrictive definition of "wild" is designed to broaden which bison are considered "livestock" in order to limit and prevent bison restoration efforts across Montana. HB 302 has passed the legislature, and HB 318 is likely to pass soon.
HB 367: Revise constitutional language regarding harvest heritage - OPPOSE
This bill promotes and enshrines trapping wildlife as a right in the Montana Constitution and gives preference to "hunting, fishing, and trapping by citizens as the primary but not exclusive means of the state's management of wild fish and wildlife populations.." HB 367 includes vague language that prioritizes killing animals over other wildlife management tools and is also designed to prevent citizen ballot initiatives that seek to limit methods of hunting and trapping, such as a 2016 ballot initiative that tried to prohibit trapping on public lands. This bill had a hearing last week in the Senate Fish and Game Committee.
- Call (406) 444 - 4800 or CLICK HERE to leave a message for the committee urging them to vote no on HB 367
Corporate Accountability and Climate Action
SB 379: Generally Revise Coal-Fired Generation Laws - OPPOSE
SB 379 will force NorthWestern Energy's ratepayers to pay more than $1 billion to keep Colstrip Unit 4 operating indefinitely while guaranteeing that NorthWestern earns a profit. This bill also removes the Public Service Commission's oversight of the utility's expenditures related to the Colstrip coal plant, allowing NorthWestern Energy (and not elected officials) to decide how much to charge Montanans for expensive, inefficient polluting coal power. This bill had a hearing in the House Energy, Technology, and Federal Relations Committee last week!
SB 257: Prohibit local governments from imposing carbon penalties, fees, or taxes - OPPOSE
This bill prohibits local governments from creating ordinances or policies that regulate carbon and could stifle any efforts to fight climate change at the local level. SB 257 was passed by the legislature last week!
- CLICK HERE to use our form to tell your local government officials to call on Gianforte to veto SB 257
- Call Governor Gianforte at (406) 444 - 3111 or email him at governor@mt.gov and urge him to veto this bill
- You can find out more about this bill on our fact sheet for SB 257
Protect Our Right to Protest
HB 481: Protect critical infrastructure - OPPOSE
HB 481 is an attack on first amendment rights. This bill increases penalties on those who protest or even support or are associated with protests at pipelines and other major developments. This bill targets civil disobedience and seeks to intimidate and suppress the free speech rights of those who peacefully protest in defense of land, water, and wildlife. HB 481 just passed out of the senate with amendments last week!
- Call (406) 444 - 4800 or CLICK HERE to leave a message for your representative urging them to vote no on HB 481
- You can find out more about this bill on our fact sheet for HB 481
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If you have time, here are some other bills to take action on this week.
Urge Governor Gianforte to veto these wolf and bear bills: SB 267, SB 314, SB 98, SB 337, and HB 468
- SB 267 and SB 314 are two anti-wolf bills designed to decimate Montana's wolf population. You can learn more on our fact sheet
- SB 98 attempts to make it easier to kill grizzly bears on private property and SB 337 restricts relocations of grizzly bears only to sites approved by the Fish and Wildlife Commission
- HB 468 allows for hound hunting of black bears
- Call Governor Gianforte at (406) 444 - 3111 or email him at governor@mt.gov and urge him to veto these bills
Urge Governor Gianforte to veto SB 201 and HB 259
- SB 201 makes it easier for NorthWestern Energy to avoid purchasing renewable energy from small energy producers. You can learn more on our fact sheet
- HB 259 prohibits inclusionary zoning and attempts to limit local options for encouraging affordable housing. You can learn more on our fact sheet
- Call Governor Gianforte at (406) 444 - 3111 or email him at governor@mt.gov and urge him to veto these bills
Call on your representative to oppose SB 214, SB 237, HB 273, HB 475, and HB 576
- SB 214 is an attack on tribal sovereignty that opens the door for local governments to tax fee-to-trust land transfers. You can learn more about this bill and its history with colonialism here
- SB 237 rewards NorthWestern Energy (NWE) for bad behavior and robs tribal and low-income energy assistance programs of $2.5 million by allowing the company to skirt the law while ending a program that requires NWE to invest in small renewable energy projects. You can learn more on our fact sheet
- HB 273 eliminates restrictions on nuclear energy development by removing the right of Montanans to vote to approve or reject proposed nuclear energy projects
- HB 475 and HB 576 seek to weaken and eliminate Montana's renewable energy portfolio standard, which would make Montana the first state in the country to repeal a renewable energy portfolio standard. You can learn more at our fact sheet
- Call (406) 444 - 4800 or CLICK HERE to leave a message for the committee urging them to vote no on these bills
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If you find these alerts, our social media, or Chapter website useful during this legislative session, please consider giving a non-deductible donation now to support our work. The financial implications of COVID have stretched the Montana Chapter’s ability to continue its current level of service without your help.
Any gift makes a difference. Donate at the link at the bottom of the page or send a check to P.O. Box 7201, Missoula, MT 59807.
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Thank you for every action you take to defend our lands, water, wildlife, and climate.
With gratitude,
Your Montana Chapter Legislative Team
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