Anyone can love the mountains, but it takes a soul to love the pairie
Anyone can love the mountains, but it takes a soul to love the pairie
Sorted by date Results 1 - 8 of 8
1-13-24 Representative Schillinger Reports, Happy New Year! We're getting some good old fashioned January weather! My last report, was at the end of April as the end of the 68th Montana Legislature drew near a close. After an abrupt and unexpected motion to Sine Die (adjourn), was passed in the Senate on the 88th day of session, we in the House recessed, reorganized, took care of the business we were able to at that point, and voted to adjourn as well at about 10 p.m. that evening. This...
I hope everyone had a Blessed Easter. Friday after a morning floor session, Appropriations Committee, and informal appropriations get together, we were out for Easter break! After a quick change of clothes, I jumped in my pickup and headed East. Thanks to longer days I was able to pull into home shortly after dark, where I was greeted by son Brett, granddaughter Bryn and grandson Keny. Keny brought a plate of treats he had prepared and got the tv prepared with a movie to watch with grandpa. We...
Legislative day 56, Tuesday March 21st we convened our Floor session at 8 a.m. to begin presentation and debate on House Bill 2, which I described last week in some detail. HB2 is the State's main operating budget for the coming 2024-2025 biennium, it was presented in five main sections A-E. I presented C, Natural Resources and Conservation. This budget consists of nearly 50 % federal funds, primarily in Transportation and Department of Health and Human Services. Total HB2 is over $13 billion,...
As noted last week, transmittal break began Friday March 3rd. Sunday afternoon I was able to attend a legislative forum in Miles City sponsored by their local Patriot Group. It was great to see a full house at the local VFW and be able to join Representatives Gregg Kmetz and Gary Parry. Great citizen questions and conversation was mixed with presentations by the legislators. It was nice to have a couple of quiet days at home before heading back on Wednesday. Thursday morning the process of...
It was a privilege this morning, Saturday March 18, to attend the Governor's Prayer Breakfast. It wasn't held last legislative session because of Covid. The organizers were especially excited because it was the first time since Governor Judy Martz, that a Governor has attended. Neither Schweitzer or Bullock chose to be a part of this great event during their tenures. This year former NFL player Phil Olson was the guest speaker and was very inspiring. Representative Greg Kmetz, Senator Mike Lang...
2-24-23 President's Day, Monday February 20th our floor session was dedicated to listening to our Congressional delegation. It was interesting to hear four different perspectives on the state of our country and their roles in Congress. Senator Tester's comment about supporting the Keystone Pipeline that President Biden killed, was particularly interesting. He maintains his position that he supported it even though his vote was the deciding vote that killed Senator Daines amendment that would...
2-17-23 This week saw appropriations section c wrap up business for this legislative session. We approved the budgets of our respective departments. The next step in the process will be for me as Chair to present these recommendations to the appropriations committee as a whole. At that point the recommendations can be accepted or amended and entered into House Bill 2, the big budget, for presentation to the entire House later in the session. As part of the Department of Natural Resources...
2-10-23 As predicted, the days of 90 or 100 – 0 votes on the floor are going to be fewer and fewer as the session goes on. Monday started off with HB252 by Karlan that would have created another $4,000,000 per year suicide prevention program in schools. These bills are of course always emotional, this actually came out of committee 18-3. It was exposed in debate as redundant and expensive and fortunately died 49-51. There is a rule called reconsideration that can be used to resurrect a bill t...
