Keeping in touch with Rep. Pat Ingraham

Our Speaker of the House, Mark Blasdel, began this 63rd Legislative Session by saying he wanted to make the session more about work, and less about political games. In the early days of this session, we heard addresses from Senator Max Baucus and Senator Jon Tester that echoed that same call.

As the legislature comes to the end of the third week, I’m excited to report that in the House, it appears we too are answering that same call, more work and less politics, which is especially nice when there is much work to do considering there are already 549 bills introduced with 1578 other bills waiting to be introduced.

Senator Baucus, when addressing the Joint Session of the Senate and House, also expressed support for building the Keystone XL Pipeline in Eastern Montana and North Dakota, a position that most Montana legislators of both parties enthusiastically shared.

Coming up soon, we will have addresses from Congressman Steve Daines and Governor Steve Bullock. Representative Daines should be particularly interesting, since this is the first time Montana has had a brand new member of the House of Representatives in a long time.

On the policy front, proposals to fix the state pension systems are working their way through the process. As you may have read, the state government has, for many years, been promising its employees a pension when they retire. Now, because of some poor performance from the stock markets and questionable decisions made in the past, the account that pays those pensions is in financial trouble. We have to fix the problem going forward so this never happens again, as our retirement systems must be funded on an actuarially sound basis as it is a constitutional requirement as found in Article VIII, Section 15 of the Montana Constitution.

There has been a Joint Select Committee on pensions formed, a bipartisan subcommittee comprised of both House and Senate members, who are looking at the proposals which have been introduced and at ideas that come forth from their hearings. The committee is to address the unfunded liabilities and structural changes that need to be made. Whatever the solution, we need to keep our word and honor the promises made in the past, yet look for a sustainable retirement systems going forward which will protect both the employee and employer, the taxpayers of Montana.

I have been appointed to a House Select Committee on Redistricting, this too is a bipartisan committee but only comprised of House members. We have had two meetings and heard two bill proposals House Resolution 2, sponsored by Representative Lee Randall and House Resolution 3, sponsored by Representative Pat Noonan, each containing redistricting changes that they would like to see the Redistricting and Reapportionment Committee make before they officially adopt a new redistricting plan for Montana.

This coming week, the House Select Committee on Redistricting will have their last meeting during which they will take executive action on which House Resolution bill will go forward and what changes will be contained in this resolution. Whatever bill goes forward will likely see changes, other than what has been proposed. Others like myself will be moving amendments which will again ask the Redistricting Committee and Reapportionment Commission to reconsider their decisions. My amendment requests that the Commission redraw House District 13 and surrounding districts to better meet the standard of functional compactness and to allow Flathead County residents in Kila and Marion to be represented by a legislator who shares their community of interest.

For my Senior Citizen bingo enthusiasts, I have introduced House Bill (HB) 264. HB 264 in its current form would exempt senior citizen centers from operator’s license requirements for bingo and live card games, such as pinochle, if passed. No hearing date has been set as of yet, but it should be heard in the near future as it has been referred to the House Business and Labor Committee.

Remember to please “Keep in Touch” with me during the session by leaving messages for me by using an online form available at www.leg.mt.gov/message, or by calling the information desk at (406) 444-4800 to leave a message regarding your opinion, thoughts and concerns, or by e-mailing me at pathd13@blackfoot.net or you may mail them directly to me at: Representative Pat Ingraham, Capitol Building, PO Box 200400, Helena, MT 59620-0400.

Online video and audio broadcasts can be accessed by visiting www.leg.mt.gov/broadcast. Viewers will need RealPlayer software. In addition to Internet broadcasts, the Legislature will broadcast its proceedings over cable television through TVMT. While TVMT programming is not available in our area, those areas that are covered can be found by visiting www.leg.mt.gov/tvmt or by calling the Legislative Information Office at 444-2957.