An Update from Rep. Ingraham

With the 2015 Legislative Session just over the horizon, Legislative Interim Committees are beginning to conclude their work as their work sessions are coming to an end.  The State Administration & Veterans Affairs Committee (SAVA) has only three meetings left in which to complete their work prior to the session and one of those meetings will be held on Thursday, June 5th in room 137 of the Capitol Building beginning at 8:00 a.m. For those of you interested in following the work of the committee, especially in regards to their work on elections and the Office of the Commissioner of Political Practices, not to mention their work on Veteran Affairs and Retirement issues, this is an opportunity for you to listen in as proceedings are unfolding or personally attend the meeting for those who are able.

SAVA’s morning schedule begins with a pressing issue for our Veterans, especially in light of some to the concerns we’re seeing with their care in the VA Hospitals, and that issue is should Montana have a state ombudsman to help veterans access federal VA Services.  A panel with veteran representation will discuss the issue with the Committee, followed by public comment and a committee work session to see if any motions are offered by members concerning veteran issues including having an ombudsman to help veterans.

The remainder of SAVA’s morning will be spent on reviewing and authorizing agency legislative proposals for bill drafting for the following state elements:  The Department of Military Affairs, Montana Veterans Affairs Division, the Secretary of State, the Department of Administration and, in the early afternoon, the Commissioner of Political Practices.

SAVA’s afternoon will be focused on three bill draft proposals brought forth from the work of the committee that began in July of 2013.  Those proposed bills are LCsa01, LCsa02 and LCsa03 and are unofficial draft copies of the committees work and suggestions which have come about as a result of their meetings and that of their subcommittees as well as public and agency participation. While these bills are in the draft stage, they can make any revisions they feel are necessary prior to taking final action on whether they want to approve them for final drafting and eventual submittal to the 2015 Legislature.

LCsa01 is in response to House Joint Resolution 1 (HJR 1) – The Study of the Office of Commissioner of Political Practices.  LCsa02 is in response to Senate Joint Resolution 14 (SJR 14) and is focused on election laws, particularly to the dates and deadlines as well as cleaning up and clarifying inconsistencies in current law.  LCsa03 is a bill draft which will determine adjustments to the defined benefit plan member contributions in the Public Employees Retirement system (PERS).

LCsa01 will revise how the commissioner of political practices is selected.  It provides for a five-member selection committee, which is currently made up of four, comprised of the speaker of the house, the president of the senate and the minority leaders of both houses, with the fifth member selected by a majority of the four members.  A provision is also included which addresses the selection of the fifth member if the four members fail to select the fifth member.  That provision provides that a majority of the state supreme court select the fifth member who shall serve as the selection committee’s presiding officer.  The Governor must appoint the commissioner from the list of names submitted by the selection committee.

Each session a bill to generally revise the state’s election laws is brought forth in an effort to address inconsistencies, improve the process and bring clarity to the election process, much like LCsa02.  LCsa02 comes as a result of the committee’s work assigned by SJR 14 and is a very comprehensive bill generally revising election laws as this 276 page bill draft reflects.

LCsa03 is a bill draft proposal put forth by the committee to address some retirement system concerns.  LCsa03 is an act providing that a portion of the member and employer contributions to the public employees’ defined benefit retirement plan be adjustable instead of being terminated.  It also revises the allocation of a portion of the employer contribution to the public employees’ defined contribution retirement plan.

In all likely-hood, much legislative action on committee and agency bill proposals will take place during the June 5th meeting as time is drawing to a close.  So for those of you who are interested in the committee’s work, or wish to view the LCsa01, LCsa02 & LCsa03 unofficial draft copies in their entirety and have access to a computer, you can do so by going to the legislative website at www.leg.mt.gov to access these connections to the SAVA Committee.  If you have questions on how to access or use these connections, or want to make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, you can contact the SAVA Committee’s legislative staff, Ms. Sheri Scurr at 406-444-3596.

Now it’s your turn to “Keep in Touch”.  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.