Legislative update: April 4 - 7
Last week marked the session’s second transmittal deadline and subsequently the end of the road for countless bills that failed to make it out of committee or get a second chance on the floor through a blast motion. Friday’s deadline applied to appropriation bills, revenue bills and bills proposing referenda and was their final chance to pass to the second chamber for consideration. It was certainly a busy week, that yielded wins, losses and lots of updates.
Status Update
HB 611 - Make sanctuary cities illegal in Montana
This bill sponsored by Rep. Skees would make sanctuary cities illegal in Montana. Montana has no cities, towns or counties with sanctuary city policies so this bill is nothing more than create a civil liability for local governments, diminish distrust between immigrant communities and state agencies and put public safety at risk- all in the name of a problem that doesn’t exist.
HB 611 passed 2nd Reading on the House Floor 58-41 but was tabled in House Appropriations and missed the Transmittal Deadline!
HB 93 – Policing for Profit
HB 93, sponsored by Rep. Garner (R), increases the court surcharge in criminal cases by 50% and earmarks that money the law enforcement academy. This directly ties how many people police arrest to the amount of money the academy receives. HB 93 is policing-for-profit, plain and simple. While the legislature should fund the academy, the funding should come through the appropriations process, not on the backs of Montanans who find themselves in court for traffic offenses.
HB 93 was tabled in Senate Judiciary on March 23rd, but because it already passed chambers, we will still be keeping an eye on it!
Opposed by ACLU
SB 329 - Adopt the Montana Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
This unconstitutional ban on abortion after 20 weeks is making its way to the Senate Floor. Disguised as an attempt to protect “the lives of unborn children,” this bill compromises women’s health and privacy and criminalizes abortion by creating serious legal ramifications for providers, including felony charges for physicians. Unconstitutional, manipulative and dangerous- this legislation has no place in our state.
SB 329 will be heard in House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, April 5th! Call your representatives and tell them to keep anti-choice legislation out of Montana! Vote NO on SB 329!
SJ 15 – Anti-LGBT resolution preventing equality in the provision of legal services
The American Bar Association has adopted a new Model Rule of Professional Conduct that would prohibit discrimination in the provision of legal services – including discrimination against LGBT people. Senator David Howard has filed a resolution in the senate opposing adoption of a similar rule in Montana, a move being considered by the Montana Supreme Court. Senator Howard is using the legislative process to bully the Montana Supreme Court and to prevent equal treatment of LGBT Montanans in our justice system.
This bill passed out of House Judiciary last week along party lines and will head to the House Floor this week where it will be carried by Rep. Manzela (R) - call your House representatives and tell them to vote NO on SJ 15 – the only bill in the 2017 legislative session that proactively targets the LGBT community for discrimination.
HB 595 - Constitutional amendment to define person
HB 595, another bill sponsored by Rep. Skees, would amend our State Constitution’s definition of person to include "all members of the species Homo sapiens at any stage of development.” This personhood bill would ban birth control, emergency contraception, life-saving procedures for ectopic pregnancies, and abortion; if it passes out of the legislature, it will appear on ballots for the November, 2018 election.
HB 595 will go before Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday, March 7th. Referendums have fewer roadblocks that other bills, so your pressure really matter! Call your representatives and tell to vote NO on HB 595!
Supported by ACLU
SB 64, SB 63, SB 59 – Sentencing Reform
These bills, all carried by Senator Cynthia Wolken (D), are the result of the interim work of the Commission on Sentencing. The bipartisan commission exhaustively studied our criminal justice system and, specifically, how Montanans cycle in and out of Montana prisons, jails, and correctional supervision (probation and parole). Democrats and Republicans worked together to craft solutions, resulting in the bills listed above.
SB 64 would increase the efficiency of the currently volunteer run parole board by professionalizing the board and increasing its size. SB 63 would reduce recidivism & reform supervision of offenders by changing how and when an offender's probation is revoked and creating alternative sanctions. SB 59 would implement the use of risk-assessments during the pre-trial phase, giving courts an evidence based tool to help prioritize resources and low-risk offenders a chance to be supervised in their communities.
SB 64 will head to House Appropriations on Monday, SB 59 will have Executive Action in a Free Conference Committee on Wednesday, April 5th, and SB 63 will likely be heard in House Appropriations later this week. Call your representatives and tell them to support sentencing reform & this important package of bills!
