Montana News & Current Events | Public News Service

Montana lawmakers discussed a bill which would have legalized cigar smoking in designated rooms in bars, despite a 2006 declaration by the U.S. Surgeon General there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke. (Marco Mayer/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Indoor cigar smoking bill, unpopular with voters, fails in Montana House

A bill to legalize cigar smoking in designated Montana barrooms has failed a third reading in the state House. Similar legislation is introduced most …

Around 85% of first responders in the United States report experiencing symptoms related to mental health. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 28, 2025

Montana bill could cover PTSD treatment for first responders

A bill headed to the Montana governor's desk would qualify post-traumatic stress disorder under workers' compensation for the state's first responders…

Western Watersheds Project Executive Director Erik Molvar says a permitting change announced by the U.S. Department of the Interior this week will mean

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Feds unveil 'emergency permitting' for energy projects in MT, U.S.

This week, the Trump administration announced what it terms "emergency permitting" for energy projects, streamlining a sometimes yearslong process …

In some parts of Montana's Big Hole River, levels of phosphorus and nitrogen are at two or three times healthy thresholds, according to data from area conservation groups. (Tracy/Adobe Stock)

Montana DEQ denies Big Hole River decision, cites law opposed by EPA

Montana officials have denied a petition asking the state to designate the Big Hole River as "impaired" by pollution. Two conservation groups …

According to a report from the Montana Nonprofit Association, local governments are among many recipients of federal funding in the state. They receive about $361.3 million annually in federal contracts, grants, loans and direct payments. (Adobe Stock)

Federal funding cuts could hit Montana harder than other states, says report

A new report showed Montana receives a larger share of federal funding than the national average and the effects of continued cuts could be "dramatic.…

The Empire Builder currently provides rail passenger service through Montana's Hi-Line, paralleling U.S. Highway 2 through the northern part of the state. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority hopes to expand service through eastern and southern Montana. (Adobe Stock)

Passenger rail funding bill narrowly fails Montana Senate vote

Communities in southern and eastern Montana were connected to passenger rail lines running from Chicago to Seattle until 1979. An effort to fund the …

Among those who voted down Montana House Bill 838, which would have state Supreme Court candidates to identify a political party while running, were Rep. Marta Bertoglio, R-Clancy; Rep. Sherry Essmann, R-Billings; and Valerie Moore, R-Plentywood. (Adobe Stock)

Push to make Montana judicial elections partisan fails

A handful of Montana bills pushing for partisan judicial elections as part of a broader movement in the state were defeated this month. Montana law …

Following a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 'Department of Education v. California,' the future of federal Fair Housing grants now sits with a Massachusetts district court. (Adobe Stock)

District court to determine future of MT fair-housing grants

Since February, 66 fair-housing groups across the country have been in limbo while their federal grants were cut, temporarily restored, then tied in …

Of the nearly half million mining claims on federal public lands across the U.S., more than 120,000 are within 30 miles of a national park or monument. (Billy Clay Myers/Adobe Stock)

Mining claim map shows encroachment on national parks, monuments

The number of mining claims on U.S. public lands is growing. A 27% increase since 2019 has brought the total to nearly a half-million. A new study …

According to a report from the LOR Foundation, roughly 111 media outlets are producing news in Montana. (Adobe Stock)

Montana map of news shows rural regions lose

By Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Big Sky Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaborati…

Online datasets already archived include FEMA's Future Risk Index and the U.S. Department of Energy's Local Investments Map. (Adobe Stock)

Groups race to archive federal environmental data before it disappears

As U.S. government website purging continues, the Open Environmental Data Project is one of several groups working to preserve public access to …

Among Montana workers' compensation cases, those in the construction industry are the most costly, according to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. (Andrey Popov/Adobe Stock)

Montana workers oppose bill to change compensation laws

CORRECTION: Niki Zupanic is a lobbyist for the Montana Trial Lawyers Association. Her title in an earlier version of the story was incorrect…

In the 2025 Report Card for America's Infrastructure, Montana scored a

Montana scores ‘C-minus’ on infrastructure report card

Montana scored a "C-minus" on a new Report Card for America's infrastructure. The American Society of Civil Engineers said the state's performance …

The United States has about 3.3 million transgender adults, according to the Human Rights Campaign. (Scott Griessel/Adobe Stock)

Montanans observe International Transgender Day of Visibility at the Statehouse

Today, Montanans will gather outside the Statehouse to observe International Transgender Day of Visibility, during a legislative session that has …

Proposed federal cuts to Medicaid over the next decade are equal to program spending for 22 million children nationwide, or 76% of children enrolled, according to KFF. (Adobe Stock)

Montana teachers concerned over looming federal Medicaid cuts

The U.S. House of Representatives last month passed a budget resolution that would reduce the federal deficit by $880 billion over the next decade…

Common barriers to hiring and retaining federal wildland firefighters include low pay, mental health challenges and limited workforce diversity, according to a 2022 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. (BLM Oregon and Washington/Wikimedia Commons)

Women’s wildland firefighting boot camps axed by new DEI policies

Wildland firefighting is a tough job and the industry has long struggled with worker retention. Training boot camps have helped bring new …

According to the 2025 Conservation in the West poll, 65% of Western voters oppose giving state governments control over national public lands. That's up from 56% in 2017. (Adobe Stock)

Opponent calls MT resolution 'slap in the face' to public land owners

Months after the nation's highest court declined to hear a Utah case about ownership of public lands, a Montana House committee will debate whether …

A proposed $12 billion in cuts to federal school meal funding could impact 75 Montana schools serving more than 10,000 students. (Adobe Stock)

School meal programs on GOP's chopping block

Children's advocates are crying foul after House Republicans called for $12 billion in cuts to school meal programs, including the Community …

Red flag warnings and fire weather watches are the two main types of fire alerts the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association issues. (Adobe Stock)

Experts say cuts to NOAA could affect Montana fire, weather warnings

One of many federal agencies facing cuts by the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adm…

Missoula has a younger population compared with the rest of Montana. Mayor Andrea Davis says the average age in Missoula is 35 but 40 elsewhere. (Kirk Fisher/Adobe Stock)

Local economic partnership helps MT town embrace new work sectors

By Laura Aka for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Big Sky Connection reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Service Collab…

According to AARP, about 112,000 Montanans were caregivers in 2023. As nursing homes continue to close, experts predict the number will grow. (Adobe Stock)

Nursing homes close as Montanans age

The Montana governor's proposed budget includes cuts to funding for senior long-term care. Those in the already-struggling industry said as more …

The Montana Food Bank Network distributed food through 330 partner organizations in 2024, including food pantries, schools, senior centers and more, according to the organization's impact report. (West Rose Media/Adobe Stock)

MT food bank, neighbors collaborate to improve food access for tribal nations

Food bank organizations teamed up in four states, including Montana, to launch the 104 Degrees West Collaborative in 2021 to better serve their …

One of several major concerns expressed in a statement signed by nearly 1,000 American political scientists is the Trump administration's transferal of some federal responsibilities to people who are

'Democracy is not a business,' warns MT political scientist

Nearly 1,000 political scientists from across the U.S., including Montana, have signed a statement expressing how they feel the Trump …

In 2023, about $4.2 million in settlement funds were disbursed to U.S. communities affected by discrimination, according to the National Fair Housing Alliance. (Adobe Stock)

HUD pulls federal Fair Housing grants in Montana, across U.S.

Since the Fair Housing Act was established in 1968 to make discrimination in housing illegal, nonprofits around the country have helped investigate …

About 13% of Montana's workers were represented by unions in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Adobe Stock)

MT union workers celebrate failure of anti-union bill

Union workers across Montana are celebrating the death of a bill which would have given employees the right to choose whether to join a union when hir…

Montana Senate Bill 243, to amend zoning regulations to allow taller buildings, passed a second reading in the Senate on Friday. (Roman Babakin/Adobe Stock)

Virtual training helps young Montanans weigh in on housing legislation

Legislative bills on housing have seen mixed results in Montana so far this session. A state nonprofit group held an online training on how to …

The State of Montana first passed its Indian Child Welfare Act in 2023, decades after a federal version was enacted by Congress in 1978. A bill to expand Montana's law advanced from the state Senate to the House on Tuesday. (Wikimedia Commons)

MT Senate bills on Native education, child welfare advance to House

Three Montana bills regarding Native rights and culture advanced from the Senate to the House this week, despite some previous setbacks. Bills to …

According to the 2025 Conservation in the West Poll, 86% of Montanans prefer decisions about public lands, water and wildlife be made by career professionals including rangers, scientists and firefighters, rather than officials appointed from other industries. (U.S. Forest Service)

Poll: 2 of 3 Republicans oppose funding cuts to federal land management

In its 15th annual year of polling on Conservation in the West, the State of the Rockies Project this year has found support for conservation by some …

According to a 2024 report, 74% of Montana families who received one form of income-based public assistance between 2016 and 2022 were single, aging or disabled adults with kids. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Most Montanans receiving public assistance are caregivers

Today is National Caregivers Day, recognizing those who help friends or family members who are living with an illness, injury or disability. A 2024 …

Montana's Lewis and Clark Caverns were first protected by the Department of the Interior under President Teddy Roosevelt in 1908. Management was transferred to the state of Montana in 1937. (Adobe Stock)

Federal bill, Interior could weaken national monument protections

Over the last 120 years, U.S. presidents have used the Antiquities Act almost 300 times to recognize national monuments, protecting portions of …

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, rulemaking on abortion is now in the hands of the states and could land in their supreme courts. (Adobe Stock)

Montana voters backed abortion rights but state judges have final say

By Bram Sable-Smith and Katheryn Houghton for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Big Sky Connection reporting for the KFF Healt…

In his last term and so far in his current term, President Donald Trump has taken 1148 policy actions on immigration, according to the Immigration Policy Tracking Project. (Adobe Stock)

Montana immigrant advocates watch federal, state policies

According to the Immigration Policy Tracking Project, the Trump administration has taken 130 actions on immigration so far this term. Groups in …

Montana ranks ninth in the country for the ratio of non-elderly adults in rural areas that rely on Medicaid coverage, at 22.2%, according to a January report from the Georgetown Center for Children and Families. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Native communities would see big impacts from proposed Medicaid cuts

A January report shows that in rural counties home to large numbers of American Indians, including in Montana, people are more likely to rely on …

Around 72% of Montanans believe workers' unions help Montana's economy, according to a January poll from the bipartisan firm RABA Research. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: 80% of Montanans oppose reduced workers’ rights

A January survey of Montanans showed a large majority support workers' rights, even as several bills that could affect them move through the state …

On average in Montana, full-time child care costs between $9,100 and $11,700 per year per child, according to Montana Advocates for Children. (Adobe Stock)

Montana groups bring unique solutions to child care problems

Child care is expensive and in high demand but groups in Montana are taking creative approaches to help. Child care services in Montana currently …

In December, the Montana Supreme Court ruled a 2023 law restricting life-saving gender-affirming care for transgender youth was unconstitutional. Lawmakers have introduced a slate of related bills in the 2025 session. (Adobe Stock)

‘A dangerous proposition’: MT lawmakers could decide on three gender bills

Montana lawmakers are considering three bills on gender. They are all versions of previous bills, which either failed or were struck down in court…

According to the Montana Budget and Policy Center, about 21% of Montana renters, about 27,985 households, are severely cost-burdened. (Adobe Stock)

Advocate: Federal grant freeze would shake fair housing in Montana

The Trump administration has rescinded a Monday memo to freeze federal grants. A week of confusion over fiscal policy has left some groups uncertain …

According to a Montana Department of Justice rule, Montanans who receive benefits like SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, TANF and LIEAP qualify to have certain court fees waived. (Adobe Stock)

One year later, Montana advocates celebrate protecting access to justice

Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of a Montana Supreme Court decision ensuring equal access to justice, even for people who cannot afford court …

In 2024, at least 10 states enacted 19 restrictive voting laws, according to the Brennan Center for Justice and 21 states enacted 32 expansive ones. (Adobe Stock)

U.S. Supreme Court declines Montana voting rights case

The nation's highest court has declined to hear a case about Montana voting laws which would have disproportionately affected Native people. Last …

In 2022, 393 people were hospitalized after consuming baked goods containing tara flour, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declared unsafe in 2024, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. (Adobe Stock)

Montana bill seeks state panel on food safety

Research shows toxic additives have been overlooked in the U.S. food supply, though the federal Food and Drug Administration is charged with …

In Montana's Constitution, Section 9 of the Declaration of Rights reads:

Montana court upholds citizens’ ‘right to know’ about legislative bills, for now

A Montana District Court this week issued a preliminary injunction maintaining the public's right to know about legislative bills but the case will ne…

Sustainable aviation fuel is a liquid fuel used in commercial aviation. It reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80%, according to the International Air Transport Association. (Adobe Stock)

Future of sustainable aviation fuel in MT, U.S. depends on policy

Montana is a U.S. leader in the growing industry of sustainable aviation fuel. Experts in the field, and in the agricultural sector, hope to see new …

Federal funds will help restore Flint Creek and Jefferson River in Western Montana, benefiting wildlife, including trout, bears and migratory birds. (Melnik/Adobe Stock)

River restoration funding a 'win-win' for MT wildlife, farmers

During President Joe Biden's final weeks in office, the Interior Department has announced $41 million in support of water resources and ecosystem …

Canada lynx in the contiguous United States were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2020, so their habitat must be considered by agencies pursuing logging projects. (Stan/Adobe Stock)

MT groups sue USFS over logging in lynx habitat

The U.S. Forest Service is facing a lawsuit from Montana conservation groups for authorizing a major logging project in a critical wildlife habitat…

According to KFF Health News, roughly 77,000 Montanans were enrolled in Medicaid expansion last October, a topic expected to get a lot of attention this legislative session as the program is scheduled to expire in June. (Adobe Stock)

Groups rally at MT Capitol to maintain Medicaid expansion

A coalition of Montana groups will rally at the Capitol Wednesday to advocate for the protection of Medicaid expansion, which legislators will debate …

Montana's Department of Justice opened 21 human trafficking investigations in 2024, which will be submitted for prosecution, according to the department. (Adobe Stock)

Energy industry new focus for human trafficking education

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and educators are training workers in key industries to recognize and report the crime…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a new lower 48 Distinct Population Segment boundary for grizzly bears that receive protections under the Endangered Species Act, connecting and broadening the current isolated recovery zones. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Grizzly bears keep federal protections, despite state efforts

After a months-long delay, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday that grizzly bears will retain protections under the Endangered …

Bald eagle nests can be up to 12 feet high, 8 feet across and weigh as much as 2,000 pounds. (Adobe Stock)

MT home to breeding bald eagles, now officially the U.S. national bird

Montanans are celebrating the official designation of the bald eagle as America's national bird after helping in its recovery. Once close to …

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