Businesses, Families Top Dem Agenda

Montana Democrats in the House of Representatives have spent the first eight weeks of this legislative session working to strengthen families and businesses across the state. We look to you, our constituents, to share your views and insights with us as we work to keep Montana the last best place.

This session, House Democrats have introduced bills that support small businesses and help workers across our great state. One such bill, HB 308, would give tax incentives to employers who help grow our workforce through apprenticeship – including additional incentives for veterans – so that we continue to have the best trained workforce in the country. Montana House Democrats recognize the importance of balancing work and family. That is why we have introduced legislation, HB 392, which would provide paid family leave for workers who are caring for an ill family member or welcoming a new child into the family.

House Democrats introduced several bills that incentivize investments in the expanding high-tech industries so that entrepreneurs can start a business, hire workers and compete in the 21st century job market. Recognizing the needs of our local communities, we’ve introduced HB 142, which ensures that health insurance policies include coverage for those suffering from substance abuse and those in need of mental health services.  These bills strengthen businesses and families while promoting investments in Montana’s workers and building jobs for the future.

House Democrats pride ourselves on our support of education in Montana because when our students do better, our state does better. This is why we have a number of bills that invest in the educational needs of our state. We’ve moved the Montana Promise Act, HB 185, through the House. This provides tuition grants to low-income students enrolled in two-year colleges, where students learn trades, and earn certificates and degrees to help fill the workforce needs of Montana. We have moved HB 294, which helps communities build playgrounds accessible to handicapped children. We’re working to increase funding for special education and help disabled children stay in school longer so they can graduate and move on to fulfilling careers. And, we continue to fight for full funding of Early Education, because this investment prepares our children for future success.

Finally, we are fighting to keep public lands in public hands. We know how much Montana depends on outdoor recreation, a $6 billion industry that provides 64,000 jobs. HB 295, for example, cracks down on those who would block access to public roads. We are fighting to restore the funding of Habitat Montana, a project that increases our public lands. We have introduced bills that protect our precious rivers and streams.

House Democrats are working across the aisle on bills to create jobs and fix Montana’s broken infrastructure. We are pushing to get an infrastructure bill that will create thousands of jobs and repair our crumbling water and sewer systems, schools and bridges. We are leading the way to reform our criminal justice system by adding protections for children and finding solutions to our overcrowded jails. We’ve moving a measure to keep a the state’s main electric utility from unfairly passing costs of outages onto consumers (HB 193). Finally, we have worked across the aisle to protect Montanans from exorbitant air ambulance bills by holding companies accountable.

Although there are a few bright spots, we have seen some Republicans push an agenda that distracts us from solving real problems. We have seen bills that would gut campaign oversight and let dark money flow into our state. We have seen bills that cut wages of hard working Montanans and watched as they have attacked Montanans’ right and ability to vote. And we have seen Republicans kill bills that would have controlled rising healthcare costs and given injured workers the chance to choose their own doctors.

House Democrats are proud to be the party of the people. That’s why we welcome your voice. You can follow any bill at the Legislature’s website (leg.mt.gov), where you can watch hearings, follow bills through the process, and contact us. Please drop us a line! We want to know how we’re doing, because we are accountable to you.

Rep. Jenny Eck is the Montana House Minority Leader. This column was co-authored by representatives Shane Morigeau, Nate McConnell, Casey Schreiner and Tom Woods.