News & Commentary

Cynthia Wolken (D) is the Montana State Senator for Senate District 48.  She is sponsoring a package of bills this session aimed at criminal justice reform.

Anti-gay extremists are stirring up completely unfounded fears about safety and privacy to justify discrimination against transgender Montanans. This is about more than just bathrooms; bills like HB 609 threaten the safety and dignity of the LGBT community and have no place in Montana.

The outpouring of support for the ACLU since the election has been tremendous.  Both in Montana and nationally, membership numbers are way up.  But don’t let that lull you into a sense of complacency.  Here in Montana, we still need every supporter!

On Saturday, March 4, over 120 people gathered at the Holter Museum of Art in Helena to celebrate the work of Shahid Haque-Hausrath, the award recipient.  The reception was a much-needed break from news of Trump's impending Muslim Ban 2.0.  Caitlin Borgmann, Judge Jeffrey Sherlock, and Wilmot Collins shared a few words about Shahid and the importance of his work.  Shahid also gave a moving speech that reminded us of what is at stake the next four years.  Below are some pictures from the event.

Shahid Haque-Hausrath was the 2017 Jeannette Rankin Civil Liberties Award recipient.  Below is the speech he gave at the award reception on March 4:

Settlement Requires Major Improvements in Conditions for Prisoners With Disabilities at Montana State Prison

FOIA Filed As Part of Coordinated Campaign With 50 ACLU Affiliates

HELENA, Mont. - The ACLU of Montana, working with the Montana Association of Counties, the Montana League of Cities and Towns, and the Montana County Attorneys Association, prevailed yesterday in their lawsuit about the effective date of CI-116, also known as Marsy's Law. In a 5-0 ruling, issued just 32 days after the case was filed, the Court held that the Attorney General's ballot statement indicating the amendment would be effective on approval conflicted with the plain language of the Montana Consitution, Article XIV, Section 9(3). Jim Taylor, the Legal Director for the ACLU of Montana said, "We were glad to work with the other plaintiffs in this action, and appreciate the perspective and experience they brought to the litigation. We are gratified that the Court understood the importance of the issue and acted as swiftly as it did."

First Judicial District Court Grants Motion to Preserve and Produce Evidence in Death Penalty Case Smith v Batista