Latest news with #SenateBill257
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fee increase for nonresident Smith River lottery process passes Montana Legislature
Boaters on the Smith River in Meagher County (Photo by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks). The Montana Legislature approved raising nonresident fees to purchase bonus raffle points for a coveted Smith River permit, funding maintenance along the scenic corridor and purportedly giving a slight edge toward resident floaters . Located in central Montana, flowing north through the Big Belt Mountains toward Great Falls, the Smith River — a 59-mile stretch of which is officially Smith River State Park — is the only river in Montana that requires a permit for all recreational access. Sen. Laura Smith, D-Helena, said the increasing popularity of the Smith River and the effects of compounded use, were reasons she brought Senate Bill 257. The secluded stretch of river is so popular that the lottery system sees more than 20,000 individuals enter each year, with roughly 1,200 permits available. Of that, nonresidents can only receive 10% of available permits. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks operates the permitting lottery with a bonus point system — applicants pay to enter the lottery and each year can purchase an additional bonus point to increase their chances of being selected. Bonus points can accumulate each year an applicant doesn't draw a permit and the points are squared during the drawing. Smith's bill more than doubles the cost of bonus points for out-of-state individuals, from $50 to $125, while resident's pay just $5. 'When I was door knocking, one things folks talked about in addition to public lands was Smith River permits. They were talking about the fact that people weren't really pulling the permit, and so I looked at the bonus point system and what the money goes to,' Smith told the Senate Fish and Game Committee in February. Revenue from the bonus point system goes into the state's Smith River Enhancement Account, to 'protect and enhance the integrity of the natural and scenic beauty of the Smith River waterway and its recreational, fisheries, and wildlife values.' 'Because of the increased foot traffic, in and out use, some of the funds have been used to improve the put in and put out,' Smith told the committee. 'Ten years ago, when my now husband and I floated it, we used to camp at the put in. They said the impact at the bank, with so many people putting into the river there, really eroded those river banks. So they used this money to restore the put in and take out.' According to the bill's fiscal note, 1,114 nonresident bonus points were sold in 2024, and under the new fee structure would provide a more than $83,000 boost to revenue. Revenue from the account has also been used to work on waste disposal systems along the river — which has no public access along its 59-mile stretch — and to purchase or lease adjacent land. 'The money goes to good causes that preserve the integrity of the river,' Smith said. Trout Unlimited, the Montana Wildlife Federation and several individuals, including fishing guides, supported the legislation in committee hearings. The bill sailed through the Senate with just four votes in opposition. The bill was unanimously concurred in the House on 2nd reading, but drew two nay votes on the final vote Wednesday.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump has DOGE. Kentucky Senate votes to launch KOGE.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, presents Senate Bill 257, creating the Kentucky Office of Government Efficiency, to the Kentucky Senate, March 5, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer) FRANKFORT — Inspired by Elon Musk's band of young engineers tasked with finding federal funding cuts, Kentucky Republicans are hoping to replicate their efforts in the Bluegrass state. If passed in the General Assembly this session, Senate Bill 257 would establish the Kentucky Office of Government Efficiency in the auditor of public accounts' office. The office would be known as KOGE. The bill passed largely on party lines in a vote of 32-6 Wednesday. The lone Democrat to join Republicans in supporting the bill was Sen. Robin Webb of Grayson. Though not an actual department, DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency has come under fire from Democratic criticsi and lawsuits over the level of access the group has to sensitive information and cuts in funding and personnel — including firing some government employees. DOGE maintains a running list of savings it has claimed to achieve online. However, the New York Times has reported the DOGE 'wall of receipts' has had to delete some claims that were in error. Backed by primary sponsor, Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, the bill would give KOGE the power to conduct performance audits and fiscal and operational reviews of state agencies to find 'inefficiencies, waste, compliance with law, and opportunities for cost savings.' KOGE would also make recommendations about best practices for streamlining government operations and monitor their implementation. KOGE must report its findings to the governor and the Legislative Research Commission. 'This legislation builds upon our efforts to create a government that operates efficiently, delivers core services effectively and respects the contributions of hard working Kentuckians in order to operate a government that exists to serve them,' Tichenor said. The Kentucky Senate's vote on the bill came after DOGE got glowing praise from Republican President Donald Trump during his address to a joint session of Congress. Billionaire Musk, the special government employee spearheading DOGE, also enjoyed applause from congressional Republicans during the speech. Meanwhile, some of the Democrats who attended invited federal workers who were fired as part of the U.S. DOGE Service's efforts to curtail the federal workforce by eliminating probationary workers. During debate on the bill, Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, said invoking the name of the federal DOGE program 'was particularly concerning to me because of exactly how much upheaval that program has created.' However, some Republicans rebuked the notion. Senate President Robert Stivers, of Manchester, said the auditor 'has no authority to fire anybody except who's in her office' or change laws. Chambers Armstrong also added that she didn't believe the bill added new authority to the Auditor's office, as 'many of the provisions of this legislation are inherent to that office and have been exercised and often exercise to great effect and impact.' Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, said before voting in favor of the bill that former Auditor Crit Luallen, a Democrat, notably exercised powers to do performance audits when she held the office between 2004 to 2012. He said similar efforts have lacked funding since she left the office. Tichenor introduced her bill for KOGE a couple of weeks ago in the Senate. A Senate GOP press release at the time said the bill 'aligns with the broader national effort led by President Donald Trump to cut bureaucratic red tape and make government work for the people.' Auditor Allison Ball, a Republican who currently holds the office in Kentucky, has expressed support for the bill and testified before a Senate committee with Tichenor. 'This legislation strengthens our ability to hold state agencies accountable and implement meaningful reforms to improve efficiency,' Ball said in a Senate GOP press release. 'Kentuckians deserve a government that operates responsibly, and SB 257 furthers that goal.' The bill provides no funding for KOGE to hire staff but says Ball may seek 'additional funding through cost-saving initiatives and efficiency- related grants.' Republican Daniel Cameron, a former attorney general who recently launched his campaign for U.S. Senate, said on X ahead of the vote that 'Frankfort is fraught with wasteful spending' and the bill was 'a sensible reform effort that will reduce the bloated size of government and hold the unelected bureaucracy accountable.' Meanwhile in the House, Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, introduced House Concurrent Resolution 50 to create a task force called the Kentucky Discipline of Government Efficiency, or KY DOGE. It's also an homage to Musk's DOGE, but hasn't gotten a committee hearing yet. Musk and Trump have floated the idea of scrutinizing the amount of gold in Kentucky's Fort Knox. The United States Bullion Depository at the fort stores precious metal bullion reserves for the country. It's also audited every year. The General Services Administration, which is one of the agencies DOGE is tracking, announced Tuesday it may sell off more than 440 buildings owned by the federal government in the months ahead. That list included federal buildings in Ashland, Bowling Green, London, Louisville and Pikeville. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Could Kentucky get its own DOGE? Lawmakers forward proposal for KOGE
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — Some Kentucky lawmakers are hoping to model the new presidential administration's increased focus on transparency and eliminating waste. If Kentucky were to create its own Office of Government Efficiency under this bill, it wouldn't exactly mirror the cuts we're seeing by the similarly named DOGE in Washington, D.C. Instead, the bill would make use of the existing powers of Kentucky's auditor. Beshear confirms 24 severe weather deaths in Kentucky 'Truck Stop Serial Killer' sentenced to an additional 65 years in prison Could Kentucky get its own DOGE? Lawmakers forward proposal for KOGE 'This is a continuing effort of fiscal responsibility,' the bill's sponsor, Sen. Lindsey Tichenor (R-Smithfield), said to lawmakers at a committee meeting on Monday. Tichenor said the intent of the bill is to see more accountability and transparency with how Kentucky spends taxpayer money. Senate Bill 257 would create a dedicated Office of Government Efficiency that operates within the existing Auditor of Public Accounts office. It would require annual performance audits of state agencies to identify waste and opportunities to cut costs. 'It's been sort of left to the wayside for the last few administrations. And that's really a matter of resources. There hasn't been the staffing; there has been the funding available to do that kind of work,' Auditor Allison Ball explained to lawmakers. Ball said this is technically nothing new, and the office already has the power to do performance audits. By putting this into law, it makes them an annual requirement, with the findings required to be published in a report each year to the governor and the Legislative Research Commission. The office would not have the power to make cuts itself. Lexington high schools ranked among Kentucky's best in 2025, according to Niche 6 day hikes for spring in Kentucky Music, food, bourbon and cars: Time for Kentucky's 2025 spring festival season 'That should give people a lot of comfort that there are guidelines. We're not just making stuff up and just sort of looking through things; there are guidelines for how to figure out 'is this efficient,'' Ball explained. Ball said the office would not need any new money right now to start hiring personnel and would lean on existing money the office is able to generate but needs the legislative green light to use. Unlike the federal DOGE, this would be a permanent function of the auditor's office. Senate budget chair Chris McDaniel (R-Ryland Heights) voted in favor of the proposal, but not without underscoring the need to understand the full scope of the bill. 'This is one of those situations where if we get it right, it will do wonderful things. If we get it wrong, we will embarrass ourselves, and we have to be right,' McDaniel said. Linda McMahon confirmed as Trump's Education secretary Democrats want Trump to confront the human toll of layoffs at address to Congress Could Kentucky get its own DOGE? Lawmakers forward proposal for KOGE The bill passed committee with 9 members in favor and a single Democrat passing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Today at the Roundhouse, Feb. 26
Feb. 26—It's almost March, and legislators are entering a decisive stretch of this year's 60-day legislative session. Here are a few things to watch out for on Wednesday, Feb. 26: Border security: A proposal to create a new state office of border security is scheduled for its first hearing in the Senate Rules Committee. The bill, Senate Bill 257, would authorize a total of $6 million for the new office, which would be tasked with working with the federal government and local governments to expedite construction of a border fence. Up in smoke? The Senate Judiciary Committee will hear a presentation from Todd Stevens, the director of the state's Cannabis Control Division, about marijuana enforcement in New Mexico. The committee could also debate a bill, Senate Bill 152, allowing county commissioners to approve a two-year pause in the issuance of new cannabis producer licenses within the county. Felons voting: New Mexico voters would be able to decide whether to scrap a constitutional prohibition barring individuals with a felony conviction from voting, under a proposal up for debate in the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee. Former inmates can vote under a 2023 state law, but the proposed change, House Joint Resolution 10, would also extend the ability to vote to certain incarcerated individuals. Behavioral health: It's Behavioral Health Day at the Roundhouse, and the state's Behavioral Health Planning Council will hold a celebration in the Capitol rotunda from 9 to 11 a.m.
