Archive for Human Services
The voters had it right on CHIP
Posted by:By Representative Chuck Hunter
Healthy Montana Kids, the plan to insure 30,000 Montana children, is in trouble and needs your help. Senate Republicans - notably Dave Lewis - have spent the last week dismantling the program voters approved. Children need your help to reverse their actions.
When Montanans voted on Nov. 4, 70 percent of them said yes to the Healthy Montana Kids plan. They said yes to setting aside dedicated money - about $20 million per year - that could only be used for covering more children. That $20 million will be matched by about $80 million in federal dollars when the plan is implemented as written.
Voters also said yes to insuring 30,000 more kids than are currently covered by Medicaid and CHIP. The funding provided by Healthy Montana Kids would do what the Legislature has been reluctant to do - cover more of Montana’s uninsured children. Read More→
SB 221 - Addressing Animal Cruelty
Posted by:SB 221, sponsored by Senator Mitch Tropila (D-Great Falls) was heard Thursday before the House Judiciary committee. SB 221, titled “Revise Laws Related to Animal Cruelty Re: Animal Hoarding” aims to include mental evaluations into cruelty offenses for those charged with hoarding animals, in addition to increased criminal penalties related to the offense. Read More→
SB 368 - Good Samaritan Laws
Posted by:SB 368, sponsored by Senator Ron Erickson (D-Missoula) was heard Tuesday, March 10th before the House Judiciary committee. SB 368, titled “Good Samaritan Law for Retired Doctors” limits the liability on doctors, dentists and dental hygienists who provide medical services to community based health programs, without compensation. Read More→
HB 582 - Training for Green Jobs
Posted by:HB 582, sponsored by Rep. Mary Caffero (D-Helena) was heard Tuesday before the House Business and Labor committee. HB 582, titled “Green Jobs Training Program” looks to provide for training programs, administered through the Department of Labor to assist displaced workers, or workers in need of job training in the energy efficiency, energy conservation and renewable energy or reclamation sectors. Read More→
HB 580 Improves Unemployment Benefits
Posted by:HB 580, sponsored by Rep. Mary Caferro (D-Helena) was heard Thursday, February 19th before the House Business and Labor committee. HB 580, titled “Revise Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Eligibility” will improve state unemployment law by allowing more people, in more social circumstances the ability to access benefits. Read More→
"I think that it’s going to all work out, with the changes that we have agreed to. It’s not as much (spending for some programs) as I would’ve hoped, but apparently it’s more than other people wanted. As usual, we are trying to find the middle.” 
"[On term limits:] You empower the executive, you empower the lobbyists and that's not good for the system because then we lose what the citizen Legislature brings.” 