By MIKE DENNISON
A bill allowing another 450 small businesses and their employee state subsidies for private group health insurance won approval Wednesday from a Senate committee.
The Senate Finance and Claims Committee voted 13-6 to endorse House Bill 258, which increases funding for the Insure Montana program by $6 million over the next two years. Read More→
by State Bureau
A bill clarifying state law on public access to certain rivers and streams from county roads and bridges is headed to Gov. Brian Schweitzer for his expected signature.
In a final vote, the House Monday accepted Senate amendments to House Bill 190, by Rep. Kendall Van Dyk, D-Billings. The vote was 96-3. The Senate previously approved the amended bill on a 48-2 vote. Read More→
MATT GOURAS of the Associated PressHELENA - Democrats promised Monday to stand firm against Republican plans to undo expansion of the children’s health insurance plan - while GOP leaders insisted they stand by the cuts.
The budget battle over the Children’s Health Insurance Program expansion approved last fall by voters is shaping up as the biggest area of disagreement. The budget plans head to the Senate floor Thursday.
On Friday, a committee controlled by Republicans advanced a budget that took about $30 million out of the CHIP expansion.
Under the plan, the state would increase eligibility to 200 percent of poverty level instead of the 250 percent approved in Initiative 155. Right now, families making up to 175 percent of poverty qualify.
If the full Senate approves the idea, the issue heads to a House split 50-50 between the parties.
The bill to spend Montana’s share of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act easily passed the House Thursday. House Bill 645 will now move to the Senate. Read More→
After passing with bipartisan support on a 36-14 vote in the State Senate Thursday, SB 234, known as Brandon’s bill will head to the State House. SB 234 is named for Brandon Simonsen, a 5 year old autistic boy from Billings. 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.” 