Latest Montana state government News
Trump ally Zinke fights claim he's too 'liberal' for Montana
BUTTE, Mont. (AP) — When Republican Ryan Zinke first ran for Congress, the former Navy SEAL faced false accusations amplified by Democrats that his military career had ended in disgrace. After winning in 2014 and two years later getting picked as President Donald Trump's interior...
Montana bars birth certificate changes, even with surgery
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte's administration says transgender people can not change their birth certificates even if they undergo gender-confirmation surgery, in defiance of a court order that temporarily blocked the Republican state's bid to restrict transgender rights. ...
Courts stymie abortion bans in Iowa, other GOP-led states
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — With a staunch anti-abortion Republican governor and large GOP legislative majorities, Iowa would seem poised to ban abortion if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. There's just one catch: a 2018 Iowa Supreme Court ruling that established the right...
Montana primary voters must be registered by noon on June 6
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montanans who want to cast a vote in next month's primary election must be registered with their county elections office by noon on June 6, under an order by the Montana Supreme Court. The justices, in a 4-1 ruling Tuesday, said changes to election laws passed...
Montana state senator and U.S. House candidate dies
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Democratic Montana state senator and U.S. House candidate has died. The family of 62-year-old Mark Sweeney of Philipsburg in a statement Saturday said he died at home on Friday night. No cause was given. The Montana Democratic Party in a...
Signature gathering can continue on property tax initiative
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A new law that requires Montana's attorney general to warn voters if a proposed ballot initiative would hurt businesses does not apply to ballot measures that would amend the state constitution, a state judge has ruled. Wednesday's decision by District Court...
Poll seeking special session on election integrity fails
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana lawmakers have rejected an attempt to call a special legislative session to investigate the state's election processes amid continued false claims by former President Donald Trump and his supporters that the 2020 election was stolen. A poll of 149...
Montana unemployment falls to record low 2.3% in March
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped 0.3 percentage points in March to 2.3% as it continued to hit new record lows, Gov. Greg Gianforte said Friday. The number of unemployed people in the state fell to 13,106 — a decline of 1,162 people from...
Montana psych hospital loses payments after deaths, assault
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Federal officials say they'll no longer pay for services at Montana's state psychiatric hospital following staffing shortages and other problems that were blamed in patient deaths and a violent assault last month involving unsupervised patients. The U.S....
Montana marijuana sales total $73M so far this year
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana’s recreational cannabis sales through the first quarter of the market’s first year are outpacing projections and it’s not even tourism season yet. Montana providers have sold $72.9 million in cannabis products, including both medical and...
