The Session podcast hosts and reporters joined a live audience to discuss the progress of the 2023 Montana legislative session, which has reached its midpoint. They delved into all the events and developments that have taken place under the Capitol dome up until now.
Observe and listen as journalists and editors from Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio, and Yellowstone Public Radio analyze the significant advancements made during the initial 45 days of the Montana Legislature. They will also address any inquiries posed by the audience.
Do you have any feedback or tips for our hosts? We welcome your thoughts on The Session Live. Please feel free to share them below.
2023 Montana Legislature midpoint reading list
Get up to speed on the developments in the initial half of the 2023 legislative session, and delve deeper into the topics we discussed during The Session live episode on March 8th.
Some of the bills referenced in this list have been tabled, voted down or modified since the stories were published. The stories are included to show the context around the bills. See where bills currently stand with the Capitol Tracker from Montana Free Press.
You can always find the latest legislative news on Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio, and Yellowstone Public Radio, and on The Session and Capitol Talk podcasts, available wherever you listen.
How TO get involved?
- How to participate in Montana’s 68th Legislature
- Videoconferences offer opportunity to visit with Montana lawmakers
Local control
- Housing bills mandating more planning and denser development advance
- Bills that would change Montana election policies advance
- GOP bills would require re-votes on some local property taxes
EDUCATION
- Education policy at the Legislature’s halfway mark
STATE Constitution
- Republican lawmakers shy away from changing Montana’s constitutional right to abortion
- Rallygoers speak out against widespread changes to Montana’s Constitution
VOTING AND ELECTION ADMINISTRATION
- Where the Legislature stands on election changes
Wildlife/hunting/environment
- How environmental policy proposals are faring at the Legislature’s halfway mark
- Bill would require bonds when asking courts for temporary injunctions
- Lawmakers hear plan for grizzly management post-delisting
- Gianforte directs wildlife managers to develop a new wolf management plan
- The grizzly Rorschach test
- Committee votes on four wolf bills as legislative deadline nears
HOUSING POLICY
- Montana’s housing puzzle at the legislative halftime
Drag, LGBTQ issues and sex education
- Bill to exempt misgendering, deadnaming from discrimination laws clears the House
- Montana Republicans seek to clamp down on drag shows and lustful thoughts
- After a heated debate, state Senate advances a ban on gender-affirming care
- Amid legal battles, the health dept. bars gender changes on birth certificates
- Lawmakers debate free speech, respect for transgender students
- Drag show bill sets up clash between LGBTQ expression and conservative parental control
- Bill creates strict definition for ‘sex,’ legally sidelining intersex and transgender people
- Drag ban bill for public places, schools and libraries moves through Legislature
MONTANA Freedom caucus
- House OKs a broadly written ‘parental rights’ bill
- Rep. Rosendale praises Montana Freedom Caucus for opposing ‘the radical left’
- Freedom Caucus seeks to unite ‘constitutionally conservative’ state lawmakers
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
- Health and human services at legislative halftime
MARIJUANA
- Marijuana policy at legislative halftime
Abortion
- Abortion bill would require Medicaid patients to prove medical necessity
- State lawmakers reject bills that would protect abortion access
- Republican lawmakers shy away from changing Montana’s constitutional right to abortion
- Montana companies tell lawmakers restricting abortion would be bad for business
- Bill would enshrine abortion rights in state law
- Montana Republicans show support for medical conscience bill
- Republican legislators advance abortion restrictions, shut down protections for reproductive rights
State budget
- At the halfway point, Republicans pass budget bills, target ‘woke extremism’
- Billion dollar spending plan nears passage in the Legislature
- Budget proposal would increase pay for Medicaid providers
- Bootstraps & billions: What the state budget debate looks like outside the Capitol
- Economic issues take center stage in Gov. Gianforte’s State of the State Address
- Gianforte budget proposal puts state surplus toward tax cuts, infrastructure and Montana State Hospital
- Billion-dollar tax rebate, spending package heads to governor’s desk
Judiciary
- Tracking changes to the court system at the Legislature’s midpoint
- Proposed bills open the door to partisan judicial elections
- Montana lawmakers pass bill restricting judicial powers
- Montana Republicans continue their push for changes to the courts
- Lawmakers look to tighten their control over the judiciary
- Gianforte requests $2.6 million to defend laws against court challenges
- Who wants partisan judges? MT’s Freedom Caucus does.
- Bill would shrink Montana Supreme Court from seven justices to five
- AG’s office looks for budget boost, re-inks contract with outside counsel
- Montana Senate endorses legislative subpoena powers bill
This has been The Session, a preview of the policy and politics inside the Montana statehouse. The Session is produced by Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio. Join us next week for a new episode or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Listen to all episodes of The Session.
