Public News Service

It's estimated about 3,400 transgender people, age 18 and older, live in Montana, according to the UCLA School of Law. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Civil rights advocates file suit over MT birth certificate mandate

The Montana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has filed class-action lawsuit challenging a measure barring people from listing a gender on…

One of the more well-known housing discrimination cases in Montana involved a $37,343 verdict against a Bozeman landlord for charging $1,000 to a resident with physical and psychiatric disabilities to have a service animal in 2017. (Adobe Stock)

HUD files discrimination charge against MT apartment owner

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has charged a Livingston landlord with discrimination after investigating a complaint filed by a …

Heart Butte, Mont., population 600, is on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The suicide rate for Montana's Native American youth is more than five times the statewide rate for the same age group, according to the Montana Budget and Policy Center. (Amanda MorningStar)

MT Tribes grapple with crippling suicide rate

By Cheryl Platzman Weinstock for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the KFF Health News/Public News …

While they are common, emotional support animals may be animals other than dogs. (Adobe Stock)

Increased renter restrictions target emotional-support animals

Fair-housing advocates are concerned about changes the Legislature made to tighten restrictions on emotional-support animals for Montana renters…

Legislation prohibiting ranked-choice voting will have its first hearing in Helena in the House. (Christopher Boswell/Adobe Stock)

Bill Would Ban Ranked-Choice Voting in MT Elections

Montana lawmakers are considering banning a way of running elections known as ranked choice voting. Under this election system, people rank their …

Montana Legal Services Association provides advice in civil cases across the state's 56 counties. (Bacho Foto/Adobe Stock)

Retired MT Attorneys Provide Pro Bono Legal Advice

For their next act in life, retired attorneys in Montana are providing free legal advice on civil matters over the phone. The Second Act Justice …

The midterm general election this year is on Nov. 8. (mybaitshop/Adobe Stock)

Nonprofits Mobilize Ahead of November Midterm Election

Nonprofit organizations are ramping up efforts to get out the vote for the election in November. The student-led Montana Public Interest Research …

This year, the United States marks 246 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed. (Jeff/Adobe Stock)

July 4th: An Opportunity to Examine State of U.S. Democracy

July 4th celebrates the founding of the United States' democracy - and some say it's time to recommit to defending that democracy. In the wake of …

Currently Montanans vote for supreme court justices through statewide, nonpartisan elections. (david_franklin/Adobe Stock)

MT Ballot Measure Would Change Supreme Court Justice Elections

Montana voters could decide to change the way state supreme court justices are elected. During the 2021 session, the Montana Legislature passed a …

About 7,000 people live on the Crow Nation reservation in southern Montana. (Montanabw/Adobe Stock)

Project to Train People to Represent Montanans in Tribal Courts

A program is looking for Montanans to represent people in courts on tribal reservations, who often lack access to legal assistance when they need it…

Some Native Americans living on Montana reservations travel more than 100 miles to polling locations. (Western Native Voice)

After Historic Struggle, Barriers Remain for Native American Voters

The road to voting rights for Native Americans has been long, but advocates for indigenous people hope to build on the momentum they've seen in …

The Montana Constitution was adopted in 1972 and is the second in the state's history. (pabrady63/Adobe Stock)

MT Constitution's 50th Anniversary: Opportunity to Reflect on Its Power

The Montana Constitution was ratified 50 years ago this year. A series of talks in Helena will observe the occasion by discussing the document…

More than three dozen states require at least one civics course before students graduate. (goodluz/Adobe Stock)

Improving Civics Education Could Engage Future Voters

2022 is a big election year, but becoming a more informed voter starts before people are eligible to cast a ballot, with civics education. Although …

Montana's redistricting commission has chosen a congressional map, with the possibility of small tweaks before it is finalized. (Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission)

Opposition from Tribes as MT Chooses Congressional Voting Map

HELENA, Mont. - Tribal nations and organizations say they're frustrated with the congressional map Montana's redistricting commission has chosen…

Calls for audits have swept across states after false claims the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump. (Lost_in_the_Midwest/Adobe Stock)

Zeal for MT Election Probe Stirs Concerns of Undermining Voter Confidence

HELENA, Mont. - Republican lawmakers in Montana want to investigate the 2020 election. Some are concerned this could weaken trust in voting. In a …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

HELENA, Mont. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both …

Students now have to show a second form of identification if they use their student ID to register to vote in Montana. (Jos/Adobe Stock)

Students Targeted by MT Legislation This Session

HELENA, Mont. - Montana students were the subject of multiple pieces of legislation during this year's session. Amara Reese-Hansell, program …

Virtual aids like Zoom have become more common tools for attorneys, allowing them to meet remotely with clients during the COVID-19 pandemic. (NicoElNino/Adobe Stock)

Project Gets Affordable Legal Aid to Rural Montanans

HELENA, Mont. - A Montana program is reaching rural residents who struggle to afford legal representation when they need it. The Rural Incubator …

Montana has allowed same-day voter registration since 2005. (jccain/Adobe Stock)

MT Measure Would Halt Same-Day Voter Registration

HELENA, Mont. -- A bill in the Montana Legislature could build barriers to voting, opponents of the measure contended. House Bill 176 would end same-…

About 17,000 Montanans are behind bars or under criminal-justice supervision, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Proxima Studio/Adobe Stock)

Coalition Aims for Criminal-Justice Reform in MT Legislative Session

HELENA, Mont. -- Groups from across the political spectrum are coming together to push for criminal-justice reform during the Montana legislative …

About 700 people reportedly are members of the militia group People's Rights in Montana. (Mariusz Blach/Adobe Stock)

Report: NW Far Right Militia Network Wants to Become 'Den of Rattlesnakes'

Updated to include map of US militia activity from MilitiaWatch and ACLED: 10/24/2020 11:58 MST HELENA, Mont. - Membership in a far-right militia …

While many Montanans hope to vote by mail in the November election, a pending lawsuit could take away that choice. (Adobe Stock)

MT’s Vote-by-Mail Option Up in Air After GOP Challenge

MISSOULA, Mont. - The future of Montana's vote-by-mail option for the November election could be decided any day now, after a legal challenge wrapped …

A group is organizing rallies against mask measures, despite the effectiveness of masks at slowing the spread of COVID-19. (kerkezz/Adobe Stock)

Bundy-Tied MT Group Holds Meetings Opposing Public Health Measures

HELENA, Mont. -- A group tied to anti-government extremist Ammon Bundy is holding meetings and rallies across Montana to oppose COVID-19 public-…

A new poll finds many Montanans don't feel safe going to a polling place and would rather vote by mail this November. (Alcorn Imagery/Adobe Stock)

Poll: Montanans Prefer Vote-By-Mail in November

MISSOULA, Mont. -- Most Montanans are hoping to vote by mail this November, according to a new poll. The University of Montana's Big Sky Poll finds …

Groups across the country have rallied against stay-at-home orders by channeling their frustrations at public officials. (paulacobleigh/Adobe Stock)

Groups Tied to Armed Standoffs Hold MT Rallies

HELENA, Mont. -- Militia groups are combining people's fear of the novel coronavirus and the Fourth of July weekend to recruit followers in Montana…

Voting by mail is hard for Native Americans who live on reservations because the vast majority use post office boxes. (ray_explores/Flickr)

Native American Voters Hit with 'Triple Whammy' of Barriers in MT

HELENA, Mont. -- Native Americans are facing a series of barriers to voting in Montana's upcoming primary election. Due to COVID-19, all Montana …

Montana lawmakers have referred a measure to voters that would mean only the state could devise gun regulations. (md3d/Adobe Stock)

MT Ballot Measure Would Eliminate Local Gun Regulation Authority

HELENA, Mont. -- After a contentious battle last year, voters will get to decide in November whether local Montana communities can write their own …

Public schools on Montana reservations are more likely to have law enforcement on campus, according to a new report. (bartsadowski/Adobe Stock)

Report: Native Students Suspended, Arrested 6 Times More Often

HELENA, Mont. - Indigenous students are disciplined more often and more severely than their white peers in Montana public schools, according to a new …

Bozeman has celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day since 2016. (Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez/Montana State University)

MT Cities Replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Four Montana cities join cities and states across the country Monday to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in place of Columbus …

False testimony from so-called incentivized witnesses is one of the leading causes of wrongful convictions nationwide. (MargJohnsonVA/Flickr)

MT Bills to Help Wrongfully Convicted Get Hearing

HELENA, Mont. – Two bills designed to prevent wrongful convictions and defend the people accused are scheduled for a hearing in the Montana …

Tribes such as the Confederated Salish and Kootenai in Montana have faced backlashes for asserting their legal sovereignty. (U.S. Department of Education/Flickr)

MT Org Says Anti-Native American Groups Deserve Hate Designation

HELENA, Mont. — The Montana Human Rights Network says groups opposed to Native American rights should to be labeled as hate groups. In a follow-…

Members of Montana's LGBT community say there is still more work to be done to achieve equality. (Red Jackal Photography/Big Sky Pride)

Big Sky State Celebrates 25 Years of LGBT Pride

HELENA, Mont. – June is Pride Month, a celebration of LGBT communities across the country. In Montana, Big Sky Pride is holding it's 25th …

Montana's Constitution protects people's right to access government documents and attend meetings. (Tracy/Flickr)

Transparency in Government in Spotlight for Sunshine Week

HELENA, Mont. – It's Sunshine Week, a week that puts a spotlight on transparency and openness in government. Mike Meloy is an attorney who …

Researchers say some white Americans perceived Barack Obama's presidency as a threat to the social order. (Anne Sherwood/Getty Images)

Growing Perception of White Bias Hurting Country, Researcher Says

HELENA, Mont. – The number of white Americans who believe they face discrimination is on the rise, raising the question of how this might …

The fight over refugee resettlement has become a flashpoint in Montana. (Mrs. Gemstone/Flickr)

Report: Anti-Muslim Organization Growing Deep Roots in MT

HELENA, Mont. -- A new report examines the deep roots of the growing anti-Muslim movement in Montana. The Montana Human Rights Network's "ACTing …

Attorney General Jeff Sessions reversed President Barack Obama's efforts to phase out private prisons. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Montana Has Second Largest Private Prison Population in U.S.

HELENA, Mont. – Montana has the nation's second largest population incarcerated in private prisons. According to the criminal justice reform …

About 60,000 refugees who thought they were coming to the United States were left in limbo after an executive order signed last Friday. (geralt/Pixabay)

Executive Order Leaves Refugee with Few Options

HELENA, Mont. – Groups that work to resettle refugees in the United States say the executive order signed by President Trump leaves thousands …

As Montana lawmakers head back to Helena, a report on the economic status of women shows they have some work to do. (Tracy/Flickr)

MT Lawmakers Have Work to Do for State's Women

HELENA, Mont. – As the Montana legislative session begins Monday, a report shows the state has a lot of work to do to help Treasure State women …

More U.S. troops from low-income communities who were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have limited access to healthcare services, according to a new study. (Skeeze/Pixabay)

'Unequal Burden' of War for U.S. Troops from Low-Income Areas

HELENA, Mont. – The scars of war might be deeper for soldiers who come from poorer areas of the country, according to a new study. Francis …

PHOTO: Sen. Jon Tester is sponsoring a bill requiring U.S. senators to file campaign finance reports online.<br />(credit: Sen. Tester's office)

Bringing the Senate Into the 21st Century

WASHINGTON - The ranks are growing of ordinary Americans who are demanding transparency in campaign spending by politicians at all levels of governmen…

PHOTO: A new poll shows 76-percent of Montanans of all political stripes support immigration reform drafted by the so-called 'Gang of Eight' in the U.S. Senate. Photo credit: Deborah C. Smith

Poll: Immigration Reform Supported in MT

HELENA, Mont. – Seventy-six percent of Montanans polled said they support the immigration reform package drafted by the so-called Gang of Eight …

PHOTO: Gov. Bullock signs SB 107 today, decriminalizing homosexual behavior in Montana.

“Former Felons” Party in Helena

HELENA, Mont. - Today is signing day for Senate Bill 107, which led to intense debate about the tradition of long-standing state law versus human …

Valentine’s Day Dancing “Flash Mob” Style in Missoula

MISSOULA, Mont. - Up to 100 men and women will be putting on the moves today in Missoula as a Valentine's Day flash mob. They'll be dancing at the …

PHOTO: Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund wants voters to know their rights before they head to the polls. For example, a photo ID is NOT required in Montana. Photo credit: Deborah C. Smith.

MT Voter Rights – Know Before you Head to the Polls

BILLINGS, Mont. - The Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund is warning that voter suppression is something to watch for in Big Sky Country on …

MT Primary Election Advice: Double-Check Polling Place

BILLINGS, Mont. - Montana's primary election is Tuesday, and it's expected that turnout will be higher than it was in 2010. There are a couple of …

Montanans Polled About Birth Control

HELENA, Mont. - New polling in Montana and other battleground states shows near consensus, even across party lines, when it comes to support for …

Report: New Low for Death Sentences and Executions

HELENA, Mont. - Use of the death penalty in the United States continued to decline this year, according to a report by a nonprofit clearinghouse for …

Report: Jailing is Failing Kids, Public Safety and Taxpayers

HELENA, Mont. - When kids act up, locking them up is the wrong thing to do in most cases. A new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation delivers …

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MT: Civil Rights