Montana Legislative Session Update
House of Representatives
By Brad Barker, Representative for House District 55
As of Monday evening, January 27th, we have just finished Legislative Day 16.
330 bills and resolutions have been introduced in the House and 230 in the Senate. 111 bills have passed to the second chamber. Over the past week, House committees heard two major pieces of legislation dealing with property tax reform and Medicaid renewal and multiple bills on judicial reform. This week in the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, we reviewed the Office of Commissioner of Higher Education budget for the Montana University System.
There are three comprehensive property tax proposals. The Democrat plan is House Bill (HB) 155, the Montana Freedom Caucus plan, one that is similar to the plan championed by former gubernatorial candidate and Democrat Ryan Busse, is HB 213, and the Republican plan that I support and highlighted last week is HB 231. HB 231 best achieves residential property tax relief of 17% for owner occupied homes and 19% for long-term rentals while balancing the impact across all 56 counties that have extremely different tax bases. I will update you with more analysis as it’s published by the State Budget Office.
There are also three Medicaid proposals. The Democrat version that eliminates work requirements, wealth tests, and premiums is HB 230. The Freedom Caucus version that eliminates Medicaid expansion renewal and substitutes it with an unproven state program like the failed Georgia model is Senate Bill (SB) 62. I support the Republican bill, HB 245, that renews the program with both work requirements and premiums and is budget neutral.
Eliminating expansion renewal would harm our rural healthcare system, reduce access to mental health services, significantly increase private insurance premiums, and impact our low-income service workers – all inflationary.
The Freedom Caucus Medicaid plan would cost Montana taxpayers over $800 million in the first two years because of lost Federal support that includes recovering what we pay into the system. I fully support reigning in out-of-control Federal spending, but trying to balance the Federal budget on the backs of Montana taxpayers will have virtually no impact on the Federal deficit or behavior in Washington DC. We need a balanced budget amendment proposed by an Article V Convention of States to do that. You can learn more and sign that petition at conventionofstates.com.
Clearly, good intentions don’t make good bills. The details matter, but bumper stickers are easier to sell. That makes it easy for the dishonest to engage in the type of smears and false information that you may have read over the past several weeks. I voted for every reasonable pro-life bill in the 2023 session and campaigned against the pro-abortion Constitutional Initiative 128. State directed transvaginal ultrasounds for rape victims is not reasonable.
I am always eager to have honest policy discussions with anyone. Over the past week, discussions with constituents led to working on legislation to improve the livestock predation compensation program and disaster mitigation. It is not productive to engage with individuals whose primary objective is to cannibalize and radicalize the Republican Party to achieve their perceived vision of purity by any means.
One State “Republican” Party leader aligned with the Freedom Caucus, demanded Republicans follow the Montana State Republican Party Platform like the Bible and US Constitution or get out. I support much of the platform, but it is not the Gospel and parts conflict with the Constitution. Beyond the sentiment he expressed, sounding more like the communist party, it’s blasphemous to my faith and repugnant to our representative Republic. While they slander Republicans with rumors of influence by out-of-state dark money, the Montana Freedom Caucus takes their lead from the DC-based State Freedom Caucus Network to import DC-style fabricated drama and disfunction rather than working for constituents.
I appreciate the President of the Carbon County “Republican” Women for clearly identifying that she and the Carbon County Freedom PAC support the Montana Freedom Caucus instead of Republicans. If you want to support Republicans, I recommend supporting the official local organization, the Carbon County Republican Central Committee with Scott Boggio as Chairman, or contribute to candidates directly. That’s why those often under the radar elections for county central committee precinct men and women in both parties are more important than most realize.
Please email, text or call with any questions or feedback. I am honored to serve you and remain committed to continuing to earn your trust.
