Latest news with #SenateJointResolution14
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State lawmakers' efforts to remove federal land protections met with resistance
Mar. 27—Legislation in support of efforts to roll back federal land protections met strong opposition during initial hearings in Helena this week. About 50 opponents testified in the Montana House against a resolution introduced by Rep. Tom Millett, R-Marion, supporting a lawsuit Utah filed with the U.S. Supreme Court. While House Joint Resolution 24 is not legally binding, its passage would signify the Legislature's support for Utah's argument that the federal government's retention of "unappropriated" land is unconstitutional. Critics said that would set a dangerous precedent. "Signing on to support Utah opens the door for our public lands in Montana to be disposed of," said Mack Long, chair of Montana Backcountry Horsemen, at a March 24 hearing. Federal lands account for 29% of Montana's area, including some 8 million acres administered by the Bureau of Land Management that could fall under Utah's definition of "federal lands within the state that are not specifically designated for a particular purpose." Much of this area is currently open to residents for recreation or is used for resource extraction. "My constituents up in Northwest Montana asked me to bring [the resolution]," said Millett. But polling suggests that most Montanans support federal protections for public lands. A biennial survey that the University of Montana has conducted since 2012 shows consistent support for increasing federal land protections rather than decreasing them. After Millett introduced the resolution, conservation group Wild Montana published an online petition asking state lawmakers to "unequivocally reject" the measure. As of March 26, the petition had received about 2,910 signatures. "I think Montanans are happy that we're not like the East Coast," testified Noah Marion, the political and state policy director for Wild Montana. A SECOND Wild Montana petition rejecting Senate Joint Resolution 14 received more than 3,200 signatures. That resolution calls for the release of about 1.2 million acres classified as either a Wilderness Study Area or an Inventoried Roadless Areas, including the Ten Lakes and Bitter Creek wilderness study areas and areas in the Badger-Two Medicine area. Like HJ 24, the legislation is not legally binding but sends a message of support for the U.S. Congress to take actions to release the land. The resolution is co-sponsored by Reps. Courtenay Sprunger, R-Kalispell, Carl Glimm, R-Kila, John Fuller, R-Kalispell, Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls, and Ed Byrne, R-Bigfork. At a March 25 hearing, fears about the dispossession of public lands again played a central role. Kalispell resident Eleanore Eberts was one of 30 people who spoke in opposition to the resolution. "Managment is not the goal of this bill," said Eberts. "It's to make the way for mining and other resource extraction, which will lead to consequent destruction of these wild places." The resolution's primary sponsor, Sen. Tony Tezak, R-Ennis, disputed assertions that the release of the lands would commit them to resource extraction, but several proponents referenced recent executive orders issued by the White House to expand logging, mining and other industries. "I think our timing on this resolution is fabulous with the discussion of forest management happening in D.C. right now," said E.J. Redding, who represented Citizens for Balanced Use, a group that advocates for protecting open spaces for multiple uses, including recreation and natural resource extraction. Eight proponents spoke in favor of SJ 14, and no proponents attended the hearing for HJ 24. Several statewide conservation and outdoor recreation groups, including Montana Audubon, Trout Unlimited, Montana Wildlife Federation and Backcountry Horsemen opposed both pieces of legislation. Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at hsmalley@ or 758-4433.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Series of constitutional amendments filed in Arkansas legislature on Monday
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Legislators filed five separate resolutions for Arkansas constitutional amendments on Monday. Resolutions filed would impact property taxes, property assessment, general assembly rules, judicial politics and municipal boards. All amendments are placed before voters before they become law. PROPERTY TAXES House Joint Resolution 1012 would amend the constitution's Amendment 79 to fix a property's assessed value until it is sold. It removes the language in the amendment for property re-assessment, a significant part of the current language. Bill filed in Arkansas legislature to protect existing electric power plants If voters approve this change, it will go into effect Jan. 1, 2027, using the most recent property assessment before Dec. 31, 2026. PROPERTY ASSESSMENT Senate Joint Resolution 14 is a one-sentence-long constitutional amendment 'concerning the determination of the true value in money of real property for assessment purposes.' GENERAL ASSEMBLY RULES House Joint Resolution 1011 would re-write Article 5 of the state constitution regarding fiscal sessions of the general assembly. Article 5 states that the General Assembly will meet in fiscal session beginning in February of even-numbered years 'to consider only appropriations bills.' Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs Jefferson County budget correction bill, goes into immediate effect Non-fiscal bills may be considered in the article's language if two-thirds of the assembly vote in favor of considering the bill. Under HJR 1011, a bill may be considered if it is filed seven days before the fiscal session begins and up to seven days after the session has started, while keeping the two-thirds vote rule. If this becomes law, it will go into effect Jan. 1, 2027. JUDICIAL POLITICS Senate Joint Resolution 13 changes the state's non-partisan judicial election rules to allow a candidate for judge to display their party affiliation alongside their name. The resolution included the ability for a judicial candidate to use 'independent' as a party and would not compel a candidate to list a party affiliation. MUNICIPAL BOARDS House Joint Resolution 1010 would allow the Senate to remove a member of an independent citizen commission for cause after a hearing. Removing someone requires more than two-thirds of the Senate to vote in favor of removing the member of the board or commission. The resolution also removes the governor's ability to remove a commissioner, placing that responsibility with the Senate. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs Jefferson County budget correction bill, goes into immediate effect All these resolutions will go through the approval process, including committee hearings, before being placed on the ballot for voters to decide. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
