Week 17: Legislative Session Update
We're in the final days of the 2025 Legislative and sine die looms ever closer! Sine Die means, “without any further date being designated (as for resumption).” This is a motion that a legislator can move, and with enough votes, it results in the legislative session
ending (adjourning).
We’ll keep you updated on when sine die happens. In the meantime, there are several important ways you can take action: support Medicaid by contacting our federal delegation, urge Governor Gianforte to veto any anti-trans bills that reach his desk, ask your legislator to reject the Governor’s changes to HB 446, and help get a bill expanding eligibility for affordable childcare across the finish line.
As we round out this session, last week Dillon Sarb, our Senior Organizer and I had the pleasure of joining our friends at Forward Montana for an episode of What the Helena, their weekly legislative session podcast! We reflected on what we've been up to this session as well as how we got into organizing. Take a listen below:
Take Action
It's going to take all of us to create a Montana where there is justice, safety, and dignity for all. This means that we need YOU to take contact your legislator this legislative session.
Call the capitol switchboard at 406-444-4800
The switchboard is open 7 AM to 5:30 PM M-F
State your name, where you're located, and ask to leave a message Supporting / Opposing the bill you want to leave comment on
There's a new system for leaving message to legislators this year that does require you to create an account. You'll need to go to legmt.gov/participate
Be sure to enter in your email address and press verify to get a confirmation code. Note: you will not be able to proceed forward in the form if you do not complete this first step.
To testify virtually, go to legmt.gov/participate. Like submitting a public comment, you will need to create an account first and verify your email.
You will be able to sign up to testify two hours before the hearing.
In your testimony, be sure to say, "Chair and members of the committee, my name is [insert full name and spell out your last name] and I live in [insert place in MT]. I'm here to SUPPORT / OPPOSE [HB/SB #] for [insert your reason]. Close by saying: [Thank you for your time and please vote YES/ NO on this bill.]
Priority Bills
Key: ✅ Support ❌ Oppose 🔵 Tracking
Health Care
The current Federal budget resolution negotiations include potential cuts to Medicaid that would impede the ability of Montanans to access the care they rely on! Congress is back in session the last week of April and the plan from Speaker Johnson is to have the reconciliation package, i.e. cuts to Medicaid and other social programs, passed by Memorial Day.
✅ HJ 66 (Rep. SJ Howell)
This joint resolution requests the Legislative Finance Committee to conduct a comprehensive review of recent federal directives affecting the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) in Montana, recognizing the department's significant reliance on federal funding (68.3% of its budget) and its 2,012.27 full-time equivalent positions partially or fully funded by federal dollars.
With the potential of federal budget cuts looming, we need to know how DPHHS can protect services it provides by analyzing how federal cuts will affect its ability to provide those services.
HJ 66 was heard yesterday in the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee. Call the switchboard and ask YOUR Senator and the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee to vote YES on HJ 66.
LGBTQ+ Rights
❌ SB 437 (Sen. Carl Glimm) attempts to erase transgender, intersex, non-binary, and Two Spirit Montanans from the Montana code, thereby removing the rights, privileges, and considerations for this community under the law. A very similar bill from 2023 was heard recently in court and ruled unconstitutional.
❌HB 400 (Rep. Braxton Mitchell) endangers students by allowing school employees and students to purposefully use the wrong pronouns or name for someone.
❌ HB 471 (Rep. Jedidah Hinkle) restricts students from learning about LGBTQ2S+ people.
Last week, Governor Gianforte issued an amendatory veto to HB 446 making it more harmful for transgender Montanans.
❌ HB 446 initially removed intent from indecent exposure laws when applied to transgender people. This bill would have effectively criminalized transgender people when using public spaces like locker rooms, bathrooms, and changing areas.
After vigorous debate, the Senate amended the bill to ensure it would only penalize people with intent to harm -- and the House approved these changes. With his amendment, the Governor is attempting to rollback all that bipartisan effort.
The Governor's amendments are moving through the Senate and House right now. Your legislator needs to vote NO if we want to defeat the Governor's amendment.
Call the switchboard TODAY and ask YOUR legislator to REJECT the Governor's changes.
Economic Justice
✅ HB 456 (Rep. Jon Karlen)
This bill expands the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program to include child care workers as eligible recipients, in addition to low-income families.
This bill would help hire and retain child care worker who are chronically underpaid and stabilize the child care sector as a whole by keeping more workers in this profession.
HB 456 is heading to the Governor's Desk. Call the Governor's Office at 406-444-3111 encouraging him to sign it!
