An update from Rep. Ingraham

While the 63rd Legislative session came to a close on April 24th, just 3 short weeks ago, there is still some unfinished work yet to be completed. The unfinished work involves over-riding the Governor’s veto of bills passed by the Senate and House, a disappointing end to say the least since those bills had strong bipartisan support.

Of the current list of 13 bills vetoed by the Governor, with more vetoes expected to come, 5 passed with at least two-thirds of the members of each house present voting to approve. In accordance with Article VI, Section 10 of the Montana Constitution, and pursuant to§5-4-306, Montana Code Annotated, it is incumbent upon the office of the Montana Secretary of State to poll the Legislature to determine its pleasure regarding these vetoed bills, with the outcome expected shortly after the June 3, 2013 voting deadline.

If two-thirds or more of the members of each house vote to override the Governor’s veto, the bill will become law. The bills we currently are voting on are:

- Senate Bill (SB) 236 - an act temporarily increasing the coal severance tax allocation to the coal natural resource account until June 30, 2019. SB 236 passed the House 93 – 06 and the Senate 42-06;

- SB 250 - an act creating requirements for the Good Neighbor Policy and for land acquisitions by the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, prioritizing maintenance on acquired lands, deleting reporting requirements, removing the statutory appropriation for maintenance of acquired lands and repeals the sunset on the Good Neighbor laws. SB 250 passed the House 60 – 39 and the Senate 50-0;

- SB 302 - an act revising the process for the Board of Public Education to present proposed accreditation standards to a legislative committee, clarifying the process for conducting an analysis of the fiscal impact of the proposed accreditation standards, requiring accreditation standards proposed during the interim with a projected fiscal impact to be included in the Office of Public Instructions executive budget, providing for a delayed implementation date for the Board of Public Education’s proposed standards except for those with no projected fiscal impact, and requiring the Board to present accreditation standards proposed during a regular Legislative Session directly to the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee which considers education. SB 302 passed the House 92- 06 and the Senate 47- 03;

- SB 344 - an act providing a public scoping process for certain land acquisitions by the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks and providing a termination date. SB 344 passed the House 98-0 and the Senate 50-0.

- House Bill 15 - an act appropriating money to the Department of Commerce (DOC) for financial assistance to public school facility projects through the quality schools Facility Grant Program, authorizing grants from the school facility and technology state special revenue account, placing conditions upon grants and funds, revising prioritization of distributions made from the school facility and technology account, allowing for certain administrative costs to be paid from the account, appropriating money to the DOC for emergency grants, appropriating money to the DOC for planning grants, establishing a preference for certain projects and transferring funds from the Orphan Share Account. HB 15 passed the House 93 - 6 and the Senate 37 - 13.

To access the complete text of these bills, the Governors line item veto letter and reasoning and the current status of the bill, you can go to: www.leg.mt.gov/laws.

On another note remember May 18th is Armed Forces Day, don’t forget to pay tribute to the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the United States’ armed forces!

Now it is your turn to “Keep in Touch” by contacting me regarding your questions or concerns. I can be reached via e-mail at pathd13@blackfoot.net or call me at 827-4652 or by mail at P.O. Box 1151, Thompson Falls, Montana 59873.