Twice during the legislative session, minority Democrats mustered enough support from Republicans across the aisle to kill GOP bills aimed at ending continuous eligibility in the stateâs Medicaid expansion program.
But at the end of the Legislature the policy was enacted anyway, folded into the appropriations bill for the operations of state government. This policy idea was thoroughly vetted . and was defeated on a bipartisan vote because it s awful policy, said Rep. Ed Stafman, a Bozeman Democrat, in the waning hours of the session.
So how did the provision â which Democrats argue could kick the working poor off health care coverage and some Republicans say is necessary to prevent abuse of the program â resurface and end up becoming law?
The Legislature on Wednesday passed a bill that takes special aim at environmental groups and other charitable organizations that have federal 501(c)3 nonprofit status.
Lawmakers also cleared a bill that removed a provision amended into it late in the process that would have had the Department of Justice investigate nonprofits that work on environmental issues.
On Tuesday, Republicans had altered a provision in Senate Bill 278 that would penalize nonprofit groups that file lawsuits related to government actions, exempting two categories of nonprofit organizations that are more commonly associated with political campaigns and lobbying.
Senate Bill 278 states that nonprofits involved in lawsuits over government actions â other than those directly related to their property or contracts â cannot consider those legal expenses tax-exempt. The amendment, brought by Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls, removes 501(c)4 organizations from that requirement. Those nonprofits
Correction 04/28/21: This story has been updated to correct the bill number. YPR News regrets the error.
Montana electric utility regulators are opposing a bill pending consideration on the Senate floor that would allow electric utilities to pass certain replacement power costs onto customers without regulators setting the terms.
The Montana Public Service Commission at its business meeting Tuesday voted unanimously to oppose a bill that would enable NorthWestern Energy to charge customers for power it buys on the open market if the Colstrip coal-fired power plant closes temporarily to meet environmental law.
House Bill 695 as amended would remove regulators’ ability to deny the request or set terms that balance utility and consumer interests. Republican Commissioner Tony O’Donnell of Billings said the implication of the bill upset him.
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