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House Bill 332, sponsored by Rep. David Bedey, R-Hamilton, was tabled Friday by the House Appropriations Committee on a 13-10 vote. The bill proposed investing $60 million in one-time funds to establish a statewide health insurance trust for public school employees.
Bedey and other supporters, including the Montana School Boards Association, argued that such a trust would help drive down costs for struggling districts and increase take-home pay for teachers.
Nevertheless, there were concerns raised by two Republican lawmakers regarding the requested funding and the mandatory five-year commitment required for participating districts before they could withdraw. In an interview with Montana Free Press on Friday, Bedey mentioned that the final vote count came as a surprise, especially considering the strong bipartisan support HB 332 received on the House floor earlier in the week.
Bedey expressed his astonishment at the Democrats who voted against it, stating that their silence on the matter left him utterly perplexed.
Multiple Democrats on the committee aligned themselves with Republican hardliners to reject the proposal, indicating that as budget discussions intensify, the minority party is resorting to tough negotiation tactics. According to several Democrats who spoke to MTFP, they are aware of divisions within the Republican caucus, despite its significant majority. Although minority-party Democrats have traditionally aligned themselves with relatively moderate GOP legislators on major policy objectives, they have asserted that they are not obligated to support the majority if they do not receive anything in exchange.
Other bills, including Senate Bill 47, a proposal to bring the state’s commercial drivers license regulations in line with federal requirements; House Bill 321, a conservation district and school funding bill; and House Bill 402, another Bedey measure concerning voter citizenship requirements, have faced similar fates at the hands of unconventional bipartisan coalitions, whether on the floor or in committee.
I was most surprised by the Democrats who voted against it. Their lack of opposition to the bill left me utterly flabbergasted.
Rep. David Bedey, R Hamilton
“I think the folks in appropriations are taking up some space right now on proposals because we have priorities,” House Minority Leader Kim Abbott, D-Helena, told reporters at a press conference Friday. “If people are expecting our votes to move priorities, even if we like them, we need our priorities funded too. We have good ideas in this building, and we want to see them get fair hearings. We want to see them move.”
Abbott identified higher healthcare provider rates and a significant housing investment as key objectives of the Democratic caucus, which they intend to advocate for.
Although HB 332 has been temporarily set aside, there are still chances to revive it and other delayed bills if a sufficient number of lawmakers agree to do so. Abbott hinted at this possibility during the press conference.
She mentioned that tabling bills is frequently a temporary measure.
Bedey refused to speculate on the personal motivations of Democrats on the appropriations committee. However, he believes that the unusual voting patterns witnessed in committee and on the floor this week are likely a result of internal political strategies aimed at gaining an advantage.
He expressed his belief that the votes displayed here do not indicate a thorough examination of policies. Instead, he opined that they are merely manifestations of political tactics. He attributed this phenomenon to various factors inherent in the field of politics, particularly in Helena. He further noted that this period just before transmittal during the session is often characterized by such occurrences.
