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New York Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
In Montana, a Rare Sight: Republicans and Democrats Voting Together
In the waning days of a tumultuous legislative session in Montana's Capitol, Carl Glimm, a state senator and a member of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus, watched with exasperation as yet another Democratic-backed bill zoomed toward passage. 'Are we not embarrassed?' Mr. Glimm asked from the Senate floor in Helena. 'This thing's a big red 'No,' but I'll tell you what — it's going to be 23-27,' he added, predicting his own defeat. 'Because, like we've said before, the cake is baked.' In deep-red Montana, Republicans have controlled both houses of the Legislature since 2011, and the governor's office since 2021. They ousted the last remaining Democratic statewide official, former Senator Jon Tester, in November. Which has made it all the more aggravating for conservative lawmakers to find themselves effectively in the minority this year. After an intraparty dispute in January, nine Republican state senators began breaking with their caucus on key votes, siding with the 18 Democrats in the 50-person chamber. The result: a 27-person majority that has all but locked Republican leaders out of power. Some or all of the Nine, as the Republican defectors are known, have voted with Democrats to reauthorize a Medicaid expansion, establish a child tax credit, increase access to maternal health care and pass the state budget. They have helped block bills that would have weakened labor unions, made state judicial elections more partisan and established an unlimited hunting season on wolves. On Wednesday, the session's final day, they again broke with their party, pushing through a property tax cut to assist residents struggling with soaring home values. The unusual alliance shows that for all the seeming unanimity in the MAGA movement, Republicans can still clash over policy objectives and the wielding of power. And in an era when advancing legislation often loses out to mocking the opposing party, it shows that some on the right remain more interested in getting things done. But it could prove something of a blip: a reversion to bygone reflexes toward compromise belying Montana's steady drift to the right. Former Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat, said politicians elsewhere could learn from the Nine. 'What they've done is said, 'I'm going to vote with the people I represent back home — and that's not what the party leadership is telling us,'' Mr. Schweitzer said. 'We'll haul Congress out here to see how it's done in Montana,' he joked, adding that he would 'put in the first $50' for bus fare. Policy over party The Nine argued that they were simply prioritizing smart policy over ideological conformity — reauthorizing the Medicaid expansion would keep open rural hospitals in their districts, for instance — and supporting the agenda pushed by Gov. Greg Gianforte, also a Republican. But as President Trump exerts near-total control over the Republican Party, and the country seems bitterly divided along partisan lines more than ever, the G.O.P. schism in Montana has attracted outsize attention. As the session progressed, other Montana Republicans ramped up a pressure campaign against the defectors, posting their photos on social media, demanding that they quit bucking party leadership and giving them nicknames like the 'Nasty Nine.' In March, Republicans tried to expel one of the heretics, Jason Ellsworth, from the Legislature over alleged ethical violations; a majority of Democrats helped block the attempt. The Montana Republican Party even censured the Nine, saying they would no longer be considered Republicans or receive funding from the state party because of 'the damage they have exacted on the Montana Senate.' The Nine remained upbeat. Days before the legislative session ended, seven of them sat for an interview in the State Capitol, describing praise from voters, swapping stories of admonishment by local Republican groups and declaring that such criticism had only strengthened their resolve. 'I always looked at politics when I was younger and you see people work across the aisle,' said Gayle Lammers, a first-term senator. 'I know we're in this new age where division is so hardcore, but why can't we get back to where any reasonable legislation is reasonable legislation? If it's good for Montana, if it's good for your district, why not consider it?' Even though they have voted with Democrats, the senators say they remain conservative Republicans and strong supporters of Mr. Trump. All of them voted for a bill restricting transgender people's use of public bathrooms, and most of them sided with their Republican colleagues on several anti-abortion bills. Josh Kassmier, who emerged as a leader of the Nine, noted that he had sponsored a bill cutting the income tax, a move backed by Donald Trump Jr. Since Mr. Gianforte took office in 2021, Mr. Kassmier said, 'we've cut the budget, we've made government more efficient — that's all Trump politics, right?' He added: 'We're voting on the policy. It's not a deal we've made with the Dems.' One of the Nine, Wendy McKamey, keeps at her desk a stack of notes from Montanans thanking the group for its courage. 'Give 'Em Hell,' the front of one card reads, above an image of a cowgirl astride a galloping horse. 'They help me own my vote,' Ms. McKamey said. 'I will not offend my conscience.' Though the Legislature's political lines seemed blurred, some lawmakers and analysts suggested the real rift was between those who wanted to make policy and those who sought to obstruct it. 'It's about who is more interested in governing, really,' said Jessi Bennion, a political science professor at Montana State University. Montana's right wing, she said, seemed less interested in conservative fiscal policy than in introducing controversial bills on social issues that jammed up the legislative process. That put hard-liners on a collision course with Mr. Gianforte, who did not endorse Matt Regier, the right-wing Senate president, last year but did endorse a group of relative moderates. The Freedom Caucus issued a rebuttal to Mr. Gianforte's State of the State address in January, suggesting that Montana should spend less money than the governor desired and opposing some of his priorities, like Medicaid expansion. Mr. Gianforte has avoided speaking directly about the Nine, and a spokesman for the governor declined to comment. But he has seemed pleased to have achieved many of his goals. Intense blowback Despite the recent rightward drift, Big Sky Country has long been proud of its independent streak and small-town values. Montana has voted for a Democratic presidential candidate only once since 1964 — Bill Clinton in 1992 — but it had Democratic governors and senators for decades. In previous legislative sessions, which occur every two years, a loose coalition of Republicans called the Solutions Caucus worked with Democrats to pass bills. But that was easier for Republicans to swallow when a Democratic governor made it necessary to compromise. What stood out about this year's bipartisanship was the animosity it produced. The conflict started the first week of the legislative session, when the Nine were assigned to what they say was a sham committee that would have sidelined them from the legislative process — part of an effort, they argued, to make it easier for Mr. Regier and his allies to consolidate power. The senators pushed back, agreeing with Democrats on alternate committee assignments. From there, they said, the Democrats were only too happy to work with the Nine on some bills. In an interview, Mr. Regier called the bipartisan alliance a 'gut punch.' He said none of the Nine had raised concerns about committee assignments when Republicans met before the session, and suggested the unhappiness was a 'talking point' that provided 'cover for them to side with Democrats.' Efforts to win them back, he said, had been rebuffed. 'We tried and tried,' Mr. Regier said. 'It was obvious to see there was some sort of handshake, friendship, collaboration with the Democrats.' Mr. Regier denied that right-wing Republicans were obstructionist and sounded dumbfounded by the Nine's role in locking them out of the legislative process. 'You're scratching your head being like, 'Are you even on our team anymore?'' he said. He also argued that the unlikely alliance was out of step with the electorate. 'Voters want more and more conservatism here in Montana,' Mr. Regier said, suggesting the episode amounted to 'growing pains in becoming more conservative.' Democrats also felt heat for their role in the coalition — from the left. Bill Lombardi, a former top aide to Mr. Tester, faulted the Democratic senators for voting with Republicans on issues like maintaining a tax on Social Security. 'While working together is good, you can't give away Democratic principles,' Mr. Lombardi said. 'Republicans have cemented their position in Montana, and some legislative Democrats think they must hew to the moderate Republican line to get anything.' But the frustration appears more strongly felt on the right. Theresa Manzella, a founder of the Freedom Caucus, said right-wing state senators had tried hard to get the Nine to back down but eventually tired of the fight. 'We've resigned ourselves to life in the circus,' she said. 'And, unfortunately, it is our circus, and these are our clowns.'
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senator said he hopes property tax credit in ‘popular' bill will increase
Photo illustration by Getty Images. A property tax bill that faced an onslaught of fierce opposition at its first hearing saw nothing but support Thursday in the House Taxation committee — after passing unanimously out of the Senate. 'It's getting kind of popular,' said Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, bill sponsor. Property taxes are a significant priority for this Montana Legislature because residential values have increased in the state, and property tax bills have followed suit. Senate Bill 90 would allow property taxpayers to apply for a credit on their bill, currently estimated at $240 a year. The money would come from lodging and car rental tax revenue, which goes into the general fund. Thursday, however, Glimm said the goal is to bump up the credit to $500 or so, possibly with other legislation. In support of the bill, Bob Story, with the Montana Taxpayers Association, said more increases are projected in the coming reappraisal cycle, an estimated 20% on average for residential properties across the state, and called SB 90 'a great tool.' Representatives from the Montana Chamber of Commerce, cities of Bozeman and Missoula, and the Montana Economic Developers Association were among those who spoke in support of the bill Thursday. Proponents said they appreciated the simplicity of the bill and its acknowledgement of the costs of tourism on local infrastructure. Dan Brooks, with the Billings Chamber of Commerce, said his organization had done an 'about face' on the bill, and several former opponents thanked Glimm for listening to their concerns. The bill drew opposition early on because it stripped money from Department of Commerce programs, including ones focused on tourism, culture, agriculture and history. Now, the credit comes from the general fund. Members of the committee asked questions to ensure the process for property taxpayers wouldn't be too cumbersome, such as if multiple bills pass that require homeowners fill out an application to receive the credit. A spokesperson for the Department of Revenue said if similar bills pass, he anticipated the application forms could be consolidated. He also said property taxpayers don't have to apply for SB 90 every year; the bill spells out the criteria that would require renewal, such as if a property is no longer used as a primary residence. The committee didn't take immediate action on the bill Thursday. However, Glimm said he has received feedback that counties that have high value growth, such as Gallatin, Flathead and Missoula counties, also want more of their residents to qualify. In response, he said he plans to present an amendment to increase the limit on properties that receive the credit to those worth up to $2 million. That way, he said, as values increase, the limit doesn't need to be adjusted right away. Generally, Glimm said, the bill is addressing a problem Montanans have talked about for probably decades. 'It's a hot topic,' Glimm said.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill redefining sex passes Senate Judiciary committee
Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila speaks during the 2023 Legislative Session. (Photo by Nicole Girten/Daily Montanan) A bill to redefine sex in Montana law, which closely resembles legislation struck down from last session, was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning. Senate Bill 437, brought by Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, is 68 pages and seeks to redefine the term 'sex' across a large swath of Montana laws — and builds on a bill struck down by two different judges. It moved forward following a 5-3 vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee along party lines. 'In Montana, biological sex is immutable,' Glimm said in committee. 'You can't change it. There are only two biological sexes. You may claim to be able to change your gender or express your gender in a different way, but you can never change your biological sex.' In 2024, Missoula County District Court Judge Shane Vannatta ruled Senate Bill 458, a similar bill sponsored by Glimm in 2023, was unconstitutional because its subject wasn't clear in the bill's title. Glimm addressed that, too. 'The first challenge, the judge from Missoula said that the title of the bill was confusing. So we've addressed that,' Glimm said. 'We've made the title simple enough that even a judge from Missoula can understand it.' Two weeks ago, Missoula County District Court Judge Leslie Halligan struck down that same law for its contents rather than its title, saying it erased transgender and intersex Montanans. The new bill, SB 437, is specific in its title: 'An act for the codification and general revision of the laws relating to the definition for the words sex, female, and male when referring to a human; providing that the definition of sex refers to biological sex and not gender identity or sexual intercourse; providing that the definition of sex is limited to two types of sexes which are referred to as male and female; providing that the definitions of male and female refer to biological sex and not subjective gender identity.' The bill would define a female as someone who has XX chromosomes and 'would produce relatively large, relatively immobile gametes, or eggs, during her life cycle.' It further adds a caveat, 'An individual who would otherwise fall within this definition, but for a biological or genetic condition, is female.' Meanwhile, the bill would define male as someone who has 'XY chromosomes and produces or would produce small, mobile gametes, or sperm, during his life cycle.' Similar to the definition for female, it adds a caveat as well: 'An individual who would otherwise fall within this definition, but for a biological or genetic condition, is male.' It did have some support, including from the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal advocacy group, which claims the 'homosexual agenda' will destroy both Christianity and society. 'Number one, this bill aligns with what we're seeing the federal government do,' said Matt Sharp, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom. 'On February 19, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued guidance reaffirming that sex refers to a person's immutable biological classification as male or female, and provided definitions consistent with that.' In his closing statement for the bill, Glimm said his legislation wasn't denying anyone anything. 'We're not denying anyone's existence,' Glimm told the committee. 'It's just biology, male and female, there are anomalies, but even those will fit into one of these two categories because of the definition that we're going to use. I look forward to explaining that new definition in a floor amendment.' Khadija Davis, an ACLU Montana representative who testified against the bill, said that's exactly what the legislation would do. 'This bill would force transgender people to live a lie,' Davis said. 'And deny who they are by disclosing the sex they were assigned at birth on documents like a driver's license, marriage license and burial paperwork.' She added: 'This bill also completely erases the reality of intersex and nonbinary people. The existence of trans people is not new, but this new outsized focus on their lives is meant to spread fear and anxiety.' The bill would force intersex and transgender people in the state to identify as the sex they were assigned when they were born, a specific issue brought by plaintiffs in a lawsuit against SB 458. One person in the suit had an XY pattern, which under both the struck-down bill and Glimm's newly introduced legislation, would identify them as a biological male. The person, though, has female genitalia and identifies as a woman. She'd be forced to identify as a male on her wedding license. Planned Parenthood estimates about one in 100 people are born intersex. This can include someone with genitals that do not correspond with their internal hormones or sex organs. Lynne Foss, a pediatric nurse practitioner and representing the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, spoke to this issue in a comment. 'Some people have XY, but they appear to be female, and their reproductive and endocrine systems are a mixture of what one would consider male and female, and this is often not identified at birth, and instead is often identified at puberty,' Foss said. 'And there are other people that have androgen insensitivity and are typically XY, but they do not develop male external genitalia.' Some people can be intersex and might not be aware. In one example, Scientific American reported a clinical geneticist's account of a patient pregnant with her third child who discovered at age 46 part of her body was 'chromosomally male.' Stigmas around intersex people have long been an issue for that community, and one 2003 study in The Endocrinologist stated, 'intersex patients have frequently been subject to repeated genital examinations which create a feeling of freakishness and unacceptableness.' A more recent study in 2022 International Journal of Impotence Research delved into the topic of 'surgical intervention' at young ages, as well as public understanding of intersex issues. It found, 'Whilst many laypeople do consider intersex and transgender to be analogous (or wrongly consider them identical), those laypeople who are most likely to support intersex human rights are also those who endorse the gender binary the least.' Republican leadership applauded the bill's passage out of judiciary. 'This legislation helps to deliver on Senate Republicans' promise to stand up for Montana values, protect our women and girls, and return sanity to our state government,' Senate President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, said in a statement.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Montana Senate unanimously passes property tax bill to credit residential payers
Photo illustration by Getty Images. In an outcome that surprised even the sponsor, senators voted unanimously Wednesday to support a bill that takes $56 million paid by tourists and returns it to property taxpayers. Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, sponsored Senate Bill 90 and said he believes the unanimous support indicates the strong appetite this session for property tax relief, although he said he wasn't expecting to get approval from all 50 senators. 'This is what people sent us here to do, was to fix property taxes,' Glimm said. The bill was harshly criticized in its original form in committee because it took money from programs that support specific culture and tourism activities, but the committee amended it so the dollars come out of the general fund instead. The committee also reduced the amount of money going to residential property taxpayers. A fiscal note said the $56 million would come from the 75% of the lodging and rental taxes that goes into the general fund. 'With my bill, tourists would be helping pay for things like road infrastructure by taking some of that burden off property taxpayers. And the traveling Montana soccer mom paying the lodging tax at a hotel would get her money back, and much more, via property tax relief,' Glimm said in a statement. The bill will go to the Finance and Claims committee, where it will be considered alongside other proposals, but Glimm agreed the unanimous vote from the Senate, which has 32 Republicans and 18 Democrats, should lend it weight there. Before the Senate approved it, President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, successfully proposed an amendment to have the bill apply only to homes worth less than $1 million. It passed with 45 votes and just five Democrats against it. 'Senate Republicans are focused on providing property tax relief to people across the state,' Regier said in a statement. 'I look forward to advancing SB 90 and other bills that create a fairer and more effective tax system in Montana.' Sen. Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena, supported the bill, but she opposed the amendment because of escalating home values. 'You don't have to look far to find a home in certain housing markets that's over $1 million,' Dunwell said. Glimm said the amendment meant the amount of average money to be credited to property taxpayers would increase some from an estimated $236 prior to the change. A precise amount was not immediately available. Property tax reduction is a bipartisan priority for the Montana Legislature this session, although different legislators have different ideas about the best way to make it happen. Several proposals advanced this week in both chambers. Glimm said the amount to be credited in SB 90 used to be even more, an estimated $400 before the bill was amended. In support of the bill, he said the session started with a surplus of some $2.3 billion. 'Just let that sink in because that's a lot of money,' Glimm said. Sen. Dave Fern, D-Whitefish, described a couple of proposals heard Wednesday as 'audacious,' including SB 90. He said he knows that Montanans like collecting money from visitors because he represents a couple of tourist communities. 'What I like about this bill is it's predictable. It doesn't really need modeling,' Fern said. Some bills can affect counties differently based on the industries and residential payers that make up their tax bases, and number crunchers 'model' those impacts so legislators can see if the effects are disproportionate. Dunwell said the fiscal note is 'a little steep,' but she said the residential taxpayers paid $80 million more than they should have each year of the most recent biennium because of inequities among classes of taxpayers, and the state kept it. 'Those taxpayers shouldn't have had to pay that. This helps give some of it back,' Dunwell said. With some bills, Glimm said people talk about winners and losers, but this one is different. 'Everybody is a winner here.'
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Montana Senate turns down bill that would phase out Medicaid expansion
Photo illustration by Getty Images. The Montana Senate turned down a bill on a 20-30 vote Tuesday that would have phased out Medicaid expansion after pointed debate about the need for the federal money for vulnerable Montanans and small hospitals on thin margins — and the potential for federal funds to dry up. Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, sponsored Senate Bill 62, which he said wouldn't accept new people, but would allow current participants to remain on the program until they didn't qualify anymore, a 'soft unwind.' Glimm also said his bill would prepare the state budget for inevitable contractions at the federal level — ones he said the Senate recently said it wanted in a 43-6 vote to send a message to the federal government that spending is out of control. The joint resolution, SJ 9, calls on Congress to 'discipline itself' given the state of the federal budget, citing an increase in the federal debt from $21.2 trillion in 2016 to $36.3 trillion as of 2025, 'equaling 121% of the nation's gross domestic product.' 'This bill is one that we can do to help make sure that Montana doesn't end up in that same situation,' Glimm said. Medicaid expansion will sunset in June 2025 without action from the Montana Legislature. The Montana House just passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, to continue Medicaid expansion as it currently stands, with a 90% match from the federal government, and it will start to make its way through the Senate. Buttrey has argued House Bill 245 returns money to the general fund and is a necessary partnership between healthcare and economic development in Montana. Democrats and some more moderate Republicans also argue Medicaid expansion, with an estimated 80,000 people insured, is a deal for Montana and necessary especially for smaller hospitals and communities. Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester, said one hospital in his district operates on a 2% margin. Without Medicaid expansion, he said, the hospital would lose more than $500,000, and it and other small hospitals in his area would be in trouble. Sen. Butch Gillespie, R-Ethridge, said certainly there's a chance the federal government will make changes to Medicaid expansion. 'But until then, are we willing to give up 90% of whatever it's costing? That would be a huge blow to the state of Montana,' Gillespie said. Sen. Emma Kerr-Carpenter, D-Billings, said some people don't make enough money to qualify for insurance through the marketplace, and retaining the program is important given instability at the federal level. 'To me, it seems absurd that we would be making a giant fiscal and policy decision … in such a volatile environment,' Kerr-Carpenter said. 'To me, my constituents sent me up here for a reason, and that was to make life better for them.' Sen. Chris Pope, D-Bozeman, said terminating Medicaid expansion won't save money, it will cost the state millions, and it would hurt people including seasonal employees. 'Medicaid expansion is a vital program that keeps us healthy, keeps our communities economically vibrant, that provides an important hand up to our most vulnerable, hard working constituents,' Pope said. Sen. Jeremy Trebas, R-Great Falls, however, said changes at the federal level, such as a lower reimbursement rate, will happen regardless, and Montana should be realistic about the financial road ahead. 'We can get our state adjusted to the coming reality and plan to become sustainable on our own, or we can live in this fiscal fantasy. And that's really what this is all about,' Trebas said. Trebas has his own bill, Senate Bill 199, which he has described as in alignment with the direction of the Trump administration when it comes to work requirements for participants. It passed out of committee, according to a legislative bill tracker, and has yet to be heard on the floor.
