WEEK 4

1-23-2023 Monday (Week 4)
8 am: Judiciary Committee to hear 2 two bills.
The first bill would eliminate the board that governs concealed weapon permits, as they haven’t met in many years. This is part of the Governors Red Tape Reduction Act.
The second bill addresses the theft of catalytic converters on cars. We heard many stories of residential areas being heavily targeted. The replacement cost on these is usually over $1000. This bill would limit sales to one used converter at a time and puts limits on transport … Example: If a person gets stopped and has 5 used converts in his vehicle, he would be arrested. If a person is found in possession of any stolen converter, it would be considered a felony.
The ACLU is opposed to this bill due to extreme punishment.
Just a note of interest … today is the first day I had to buy my own lunch. It’s been hard to break this pattern of welfare I have grown to accept … LOL!!!
At 2:30 I present the repeal of the “Huckster Laws” to a Senate Committee. I had a lot of fun with this old 1925 law. Lieutenant Governor Juras was the Informational Witness, as she is in charge of the Red Tape Reduction Act. It was the same presentation we did before a House Committee. The Senators, true to form, had a little fun & asked me a ridiculous question concerning this bill. I deferred back to the informational witness (Lieutenant Governor) and she gave it right back to the Senators. We all try to lighten it up once in a while.
I’m on the Energy Committee that meets at 3 Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (The Senators made me late with their questioning … LOL!) The room was full, as we were hearing a bill to de-regulate garbage haulers. Kelly Reid, from Miles City Sanitation, spoke out in favor of regulation and had a great argument. I’m pretty sure the Republican position would be to de-regulate, but in Miles City, the regulation protects Miles City Sanitation from a takeover. It covers a very large area and having the customers of Miles City helps offset the high number of miles they travel. I hope I’m wrong, but I will probably have to vote with the minority party on this one.
All Freshman Legislators were invited to the Governors (personal) home this evening for a get together and only half of them showed up. I don’t quite understand it … if Governor G was a Democrat, I would still go to this gathering out of respect for the office. The Governor’s Mansion is being remolded right now, so they purchased a modest house in the middle of a block in Helena. You would never know the house belonged to the Governor of the state. In visiting with him that evening, I noticed some of the art work. They had several paintings by David Graham, from Miles City. The Governor said when he goes to the Bucking Horse Sale every year, he always comes back home with a David Graham painting. There was a warm fire burning in the fireplace, with the Governor stoking and stirring the fire himself … got to love it!
1-24-23 Tuesday (Week 4)
7:15 am, reported to Room 137 for a Republican Caucus meeting. All 68 Republican Representatives are expected to be there. The meeting was led by Majority Leader Sue Vinton. Yesterday, on the House Floor, some comments were made by a fellow Democrat, who interjected some “climate change dogma” during an announcement. Majority Leader Vinton rose & quickly called her out. During this meeting, she then proceeded to educate us on house floor etiquette. The meeting was then turned over to “Mr. Speaker” Matt Rieger. He spoke about getting our super majority message out to the press and encouraged us to draft press releases for our local papers & social media. We were given a sheet with some talking points outlined:
1) Exemptions to Business and Equipment taxes
2) Income tax refund
3) Property tax refund
There’s not many here in Helena who are in favor of returning property tax, as those tax increases are a local government issue. As mill levies increase, due to the rise in the value of local real-estate, local governments never re-adjust the taxable value. They are usually more than happy to accept the increased dollars. The main argument is that the state income taxpayers were the folks that “overpaid”, because this money ends up in the state bank account. Property taxes end up in the local county & city bank accounts. It’s all about optics, and politics often have a huge impact on fiscal decisions.
8 am “Madam Chair”, Amy Rieger, calls the Judiciary Committee to order and we heard two Landlord/Tenant bills that would make it easier to deal with irresponsible renters. Committee dismissed at 10:15. I was just minding my own business when I received a text to meet in Mr. Speakers office at 11:45. Kind of a big deal (I thought) when you are asked to report to his office. I got there and Matt Rieger wanted to take me and 3 other Freshmen Representatives to lunch. We then walked a short distance to a law office and met with 5 members of the firm. They represent the Outfitters Association, Energy Producers and other organizations effected by legislation, They track over 200 proposed pieces of legislation that effect their clients. It was a short meeting, but they just wanted to meet some of the incoming Freshman … all good.
Reported to the Agriculture Committee and heard one bill that is requesting $1,000,000 for Montana Food Banks. Twenty-four Proponents testify. Most said the same thing and ended up going quite long. We will take Executive Action on this, which is a vote on moving it to the floor for a house vote. A “yes” moves bill to house floor, a “no” kills it).
Later this evening, Alice & I attended an excellent meeting with “Americans for Prosperity”. A great meal and good information about charter schools.
1-25-23 Wednesday (Week 4)
Judiciary Committee was canceled this morning as there were no bills ready. Met with Representatives Galloway & Durum, as we were invited for lunch with the lobbyist who wanted to “make sure we fully understood (***code for vote right) the landlord laws presented to the Judiciary Committee”.
At 1 pm, we reported to the House Floor to vote. Representative Schillinger was a little late so I decided to mark up his gray sheet to show him how he should vote ( just have to have a little fun once in a while).
3 pm Energy Committee meets. This was a full house for a bill that will request pre-approval for large energy projects. Northwest Power & MDU, our only two regulated utilities, were there in force. Bill proponents wanted pre-construction approval because in some political environments you could spend millions and not get PSC approval. Easy yes, vote for me.
Pizza in the Rotunda this evening as we have the Governor’s State of the State address in the house chamber at 7:00. It was a great speech by our Governor and interesting to note that MCC President, Ron Slinger, was highlighted for innovation in Education, because of their partnership with business. Their enrollment has increased because of these ideas. It was so good to see MCC highlighted! As the Governor made point after positive point, there were many standing ovations and applause. I kept my eye on the minority party and they didn’t always stand or agree. I noted in particular, that when Governor G made a reference to “life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness”, and talked about the importance of life from the earliest stages, there was a huge standing ovation but not one Democrat participated. Speaks volumes and glad they are the minority party.
1-26-23 Thursday (Week 4)
6:15 am – Legislator Bible Study with Pastor Keith Johnson
8 am … Judiciary Committee will hear two bills that passed thru the Senate and now have to work their way thru committee in the House. If passed thru committees, they move to the house floor where all 100 Representatives will vote.
1st bill is to lower penalties for littering. I live just off Leighton Blvd. that goes to our landfill. I watched the minority party, and predict they will support it 100%.
Next bill is from the Senate. This is to lower phone costs for inmates. Having participated in the jail house Bible study for 40 years in Miles City, I have received many inmates “collect” phone calls and have always tried to accept those calls. I will support this 100%.
Slow day today, but Alice & I were treated to a great steak dinner in Boulder by a lobbyist group. I saw something happen that I never knew existed. One of the lobbyist was a very interesting young lady. We were in the middle of this dinner and the juke box suddenly roars to life. Alice is seated across from the young gal, and she starts laughing. Her husband tracked her to the bar with a locator on her cell phone. He then takes over the juke box by playing her favorite song. Mind you, he is 30 miles away in Helena! A fun evening!
1-27-23 Friday (Week 4)
Judiciary is never boring, as Madam Chair calls the committee to order at 8am sharp. We heard 2 bills:
1st bill is to create a system to register dangerous inmates that never stood trial because they were classified NGMI (not guilty mentally ill). This is somewhat hard to understand, but in my thinking, this applies to a person that commits a violent crime but is committed to Warm Springs, (State Mental Hospital) for years, perhaps, and then is released to a pre-release or group home center. The question centered around the idea that they could get access to their (the previous inmates) records. I asked how large is this group … how many releases per year are we talking about, and found that the data is unavailable. Very frustrated at this answer.
2nd bill DOJ (Department of Justice), Presented by Representative Denice Baum, (A Detective with Billings Police Department) would drastically increase penalties for drug crimes using a weapon. This bill was designed for one class of people … armed drug dealers. Shocking statistics were shared and the numbers are off the chart. These are direct results of an open southern border, yet there’s “nothing to see here.”
I keep sharing about Braxton Mitchell, the 23-year-old on the Judiciary Committee with me. He is such a pistol and asked me to be a co-sponsor on a bill he is carrying. The Bill Title: “An act prohibiting minors from attending drag shows.” Braxton, by the way, has more Facebook followers than our Governor.
70 Days left.