Two abortion-related bills have only one more step to go before reaching Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk, after they passed preliminary votes on the Senate floor Thursday.
The state Senate endorsed previously stalled legislation that would provide for a top-two primary in the 2024 race for the U.S. Senate an “experiment,” sponsor Sen. Greg Hertz testified. Critics decry a partisan power grab and silencing of Libertarians.
A bill that would eliminate party primaries in U.S. Senate races, targeting Democrat U.S. Sen Jon Tester’s race for re-election, passed the Montana Senate on Tuesday. Senate Bill 566 would establish a “jungle primary” system, where the top two vote getters regardless of party affiliation advance to the general election, exclusively for the upcoming U.S. Senate election in 2024, with a sunset date in 2025.
Seven proposals to amend the Montana Constitution are moving forward in the state Legislature – but after votes on Tuesday, most appear to have an uphill battle to make it onto the 2024 ballot.