Stateline Headlines

FWP success hinges on respect for wildlife, stakeholders

Audit shows it’s time to tune up school bus policies

PSC chairman Gallagher diagnosed with pancreatic cancer

Montanans fractured over farm bill proposals; Daines voices concerns

Voter registration ruling won't affect Montana, secretary of state says

Let's ensure freedom, independence for LGBT Montanans

Bullock administration agrees to full increase for groups that serve mentally disabled

Montana guard honors returning soldiers, families

Legislature must end 'culture of marginalization'

State, tribes must work together to curb repeat DUI

Governor creates Equal Pay for Equal Work Task Force

Montana's new pension law details take some lawmakers by surprise

Montana Department of Transportation celebrating centennial of bringing state roads out of the mud

Tim Fox discusses new laws, goals at Montana Newspaper Association convention

Sources: Schweitzer very likely US Senate candidate

Talk it out before Legislature adjourns

Protect the West’s biggest asset

Koopman column inaccurate about renewable energy

Audit finds Montana school bus drivers with criminal histories

Feds give counties in Montana $26.5 million in tax compensation

Blackfeet prosecutor: No decision made on charges for state senator

Montana AG urges House to oppose online sales tax

Montana, Blixseth to face off in $57M tax dispute

Dispute over physician-assisted suicide returns to Montana court

IG: Undervalued coal leases cost US $62 million

The budget balancing act

Montana state tax collections higher than expected

New political practices chief wants robust discourse, but 'maximum disclosure'

Many Montana vetoes: Party loyalty, ideology clash

Let's get Montana kids best mental health care

Senate farm bill praised by Montanans

PPL agrees to $10M in upgrades if power plant doesn't close

Legislators uphold all of governor's vetoes

More community work needed to protect Montanans' health

Family law struggles demand state’s attention

Montana GOP chairman Will Deschamps re-elected to third term

Montana schools step in after anti-bullying bills fail in Legislature

Stillwater Mining CEO retires following board shake-up led by Schweitzer

Monday is the deadline for votes to override Bullock vetoes

Environmental Quality Council to review Montana hunting, fishing license fees

Department of Defense furloughs to affect 800 Montana workers

UM hires new affirmative action director

5 Montana reservations don't report DUIs to state

Montana Supreme Court upholds damages for tenants

Check up on lawmakers between legislative sessions

University system still negotiating pay

Immigrants' lawsuit against initiative to go on

Ex-lawmaker suggests GOP candidates be rated for party loyalty

No decision on charges against state senator Augare

Governor declares flooding emergency in 15 counties, 2 reservations

Montana must invest in quality early childhood services

State shifts Medicaid costs to private patients

Montana veterans lose in education grant snafu

State’s cherished stream access law protects private property

Montana GOP has 3-way fight for party chair

Montana oil and gas lease sale nets $531,563

Initiative proposed to ban trapping on public lands in Montana

Montana University System not covered in state pay deal

Bullock administration, public employee unions reach deal on raises

Wyoming wants other states to join fight for federal land

Obama Administration Poised to Approve Arkansas-style Medicaid Expansions

The Obama Administration is inviting states to apply for Arkansas-style Medicaid expansions in an effort to woo those balking at traditional Medicaid expansion.

Sequester Cuts at Justice Department Threaten Local Drug Investigations

The partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C. threatens to curb drug investigations in rural communities.

Rural States Struggle to Reduce Road Deaths

Why some states have a lot of traffic deaths is linked to rural roads, seat belts, drunk drivers and speed.

Montana State of the State Address 2013

HELENA, Montana -- Jan. 30 -- Following is the prepared text of Governor Steve Bullock's (D) 2013 State of the State Address:

Democrats Win Montana Governor’s Race, Lead in Washington

Democrats have fended off at least one more Republican attempt to take back control of a governor’s office, and likely another.

Republicans Win Big in North Carolina Governor’s Race But Struggle Elsewhere

Despite heavy spending by outside groups in nearly a dozen races for governor, the partisan mix of Democrats and Republicans leading states appeared to change only slightly as a result of Tuesday’s elections.

Best of #StateReads: Michigan Term Limits Encourage Politicians To Go Professional

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Ill. Campaign Finance Limits Remain Through Election, Court Rules

A federal appeals court refused a request to overturn a lower court’s preliminary injunction against a 2009 law limitng individual donations to $5,000, while allowing $10,000 from unions or corporations and $50,000 from political action committees.

Should State Education Chiefs Be Elected?

Thirteen states choose their top education official in a partisan campaign. Some people think that makes little sense, but it’s very hard to change.

Montana’s Oil Boom Reshapes Race for Governor

BILLINGS, Montana — Montana’s next governor must capitalize on the current oil boom, build infrastructure to keep it going and develop industries that will make Montana less susceptible to market highs and lows.

Democrats Play Defense in Governors’ Races

The race for New Hampshire governor has the hallmarks of the biggest gubernatorial races this fall: heavy involvement from outside groups, a national contest stealing the spotlight and messages that echo themes from this year’s presidential campaigns.

Supreme Court Rules Corporations Can Spend in State Elections

Despite a 2010 Supreme Court ruling allowing businesses to spend in federal elections, Montana hoped to continue its ban on corporate campaign cash. On Monday, the Court said otherwise.

Other Elections Besides Walker Recall

Voters will also decide ballot measures, five state legislative primaries and a gubernatorial primary in Montana.

Western States Wary of Federal Fracking Regs

Representatives from several Western states say draft federal rules on hydraulic fracturing on public lands would stymie natural gas development across states that largely depend on the industry for revenue.

Schweitzer, McDonnell Give Outside-the-Beltway Perspective

Obama Decision Denies Keystone XL Permit

TODAY'S TAKE: A controversial oil pipeline project is put on hold as its route through Nebraska remains a subject of fierce debate.

Minimum Wage Set to Rise in Eight States

TODAY'S TAKE: Workers in eight states will see slightly larger paychecks beginning January 1, thanks to laws requiring minimum wages to rise with inflation.

States Back Montana in River Rights Case Before Supreme Court

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: Who owns America's rivers? The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday (December 7) in a Montana case that could help settle the question.

In a Year of Cuts, Some College Presidents Get a Raise

EDUCATION BEAT: Top higher education officials have gotten raises wthout controversy in Alaska and Montana, but a proposed increase in Utah has incited responses from angry legislators and the governor.

Feds Try Fast-Tracking Energy Transmission Approvals — Again

Previous efforts to speed up approval of interstate power lines didn't work out as planned. The Obama administration has a new plan, but many states are skeptical.

Teachers Increasingly Look to Mountain States for Jobs

States that have fared better than most in the recession, such as Wyoming and Montana, have seen a spike in applications from teachers outside their borders.

Workers' Comp Systems Getting Stricter

States are changing the rules for employees claiming benefits as a result of injuries suffered on the job.

Montana Employee Unions File Unfair Labor Practice Complaint

MANAGEMENT BEAT: Public employees in Montana reached agreement on a pay increase deal with Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer, but the Republican legislature has opted not to honor it.

Should a 'Green' State Ship Coal to China?

There's a huge demand for coal in right now in Asia, and states in the American West have plenty of it. But more use of coal anywhere in the world adds to greenhouse gas emissions. One state is arguing over whether to treat the concern about overseas coal shipping seriously.

Abuses in Delaware Weatherization Program Revealed

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: Delaware's troubled energy efficiency efforts ... a deal to remove protections for wolves ... Iowa leads in wind power and other energy and environment news.

Governors React to Medicaid Block Grant Proposal

HEALTH BEAT: A GOP plan to turn Medicaid into a block grant gets mixed reviews … A new study predicts some big states will pay a huge tab for Medicaid expansion … Raising Medicare's eligibility age would shift costs to state retiree health benefit plans, and other health care news.

Montana State of the State Address 2011

HELENA, Montana - Jan. 26 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Brian Schweitzer's (D) 2011 state of the state address: Thank you. Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, my fellow Montanans it is my honor to address this, the 62nd meeting of the Montana Legislature. First, I want to welcome my business partner, the mother

After Giffords Shooting, No Slowdown for Gun Rights

The shooting of a U.S. representative and 18 others in Arizona has done little to slow the momentum of pro-gun legislation in statehouses. If anything, gun-rights supporters face better odds this year due to Republican electoral gains.

Christian Health Co-Ops Cater to 'Obamacare' Opponents

Religious groups that help members pay for medical treatment are exempt from key provisions of the new federal health law. As their popularity grows, some state officials are warning consumers to be wary of these unlicensed operators, while others see them as a welcome alternative to traditional health insurance.

New Year Brings Slew of New State Laws

New laws for 2011 include further state bans on the practice of texting while driving.

In New Year, Seven States to Hike Minimum Wage

Nine to twelve cents isn't a lot, but those small, automatically triggered increases in the minimum wage will provide a modest New Year's present for workers in a minority of states that automatically increase their minimum wage levels at the start of every year.

Montana Has Least Per-Capita Representation in the Nation

Census population figures released Tuesday (December 21) show that Montana will have the least representation per capita in the U.S. House. Republican Denny Rehberg will represent nearly a million people, far above the congressional average of about 710,000.

Going to the Mattresses Over the Bed Tax

Montana and other states and cities from around the country are going after online travel sites for what they claim are unpaid taxes, but court challenges so far have been largely unsuccessful.

Trickle of Democratic Legislators Become Republicans

TRANSITION WATCH: Fewer state-level Democrats are becoming Republicans than in 1994, new Speakers of the House are elected in Montana and Tennessee and other news of the historic shift in power in the states

Alaska's Governor Shakes Up Gas Pipeline Team

TRANSITION WATCH: Alaska's Sean Parnell dismisses cabinet members working on a massive infrastructure project, Ohio's incoming House Speaker calls for Medicaid cuts, and other news of the historic shift in power in the states.

Early and Absentee Voting Erode Election Day Tradition

Polling day at the court house may be a revered institution of American democracy, but it's one that is steadily fading away.

Four States to Weigh Calls for Constitutional Conventions

Every so often, voters in some states get to decide whether to write a new constitution. With Iowa, Maryland, Michigan and Montana set to take their turn next month, some worry that calling a convention amidst an angry political environment could do more harm than good.

Register Your Car, Save a State Park

State lawmakers around the country are debating raising vehicle registration fees to save state parks, which have come under threat from budget cuts. The idea has been spreading for the past couple of years, particularly in Western states. Arizona, California, Washington, Idaho and Michigan have either recently increased fees or are considering it this year. Their proposals have picked up support from both parties, despite widespread objections to raising taxes and fees in a recession.

Court Complicates Campaign Finance Rules

The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case threatens to dismantle campaign finance laws in 24 states, including century-old Montana laws voters approved when the state was essentially owned by mining companies.

Race to the Top Could Be Expanded

TODAY'S TAKE: As states rush to meet Tuesday's (Jan. 19) initial deadline to apply for their share of $4.35 billion in federal education money - known as Race to the Top funds - President Obama is seeking to expand the program by $1.35 billion.