CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS: 

What: HB 372, Establish right to hunt and trap in Constitution (sponsor, Paul Fielder)

Position: OPPOSE

When: Thursday, April 13^th

^{@ 3 pm}

Where: (S) Fish and Game or Sign up to testify or submit written comment

When you submit your online comment before 5:00 the day before the meeting, you will choose:

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HB-372: Establish right to hunt in Constitution

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2023-04-13 03:00 PM - (S) Fish and Game

Let them know you are an "Opponent"

Talking Points:

Keep this bill from becoming a part of our Constitution ... please. I have no qualms with saying that Montana has a heritage of hunting and fishing, but so do we have a heritage of music and writing and teaching and doctoring ...

To add the language this is the "preferred method of management" hamstrings those actual managing entities in doing what they are trained to do. To include this language as somehow a part and parcel of our Constitution is nothing short of politics at its worst. Let's try to hold our treasured Constitution above the fray of politics.

PROTECT ACCESS TO ABORTION

What: HB 937 Provide for licensure of abortion clinics

Position: OPPOSE

When: Thursday, April 13 @ 8am

Where: (S) Judiciary Sign up to testify or submit written comment

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HB-937: Provide for licensure of abortion clinics

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2023-04-13 08:00 AM - (S) Judiciary

Let them know you are an "Opponent"

Talking Points:

• Licensing and accountability already exist in abortion clinics throughout the state.

• This bill is duplicitous and unnecessary.

• It includes lengthy details on a wide-variety of health care issues not related to the personal and private care of a woman and her provider.



• The language in this bill, an example of which is "the applicant is of reputable and responsible character" is vague and open to a wide array of interpretation.

INHIBITS NON-PROFIT ENGAGEMENT

What: SB 524, Revise unrelated business taxable income to include certain legal fees

Position: OPPOSE

When: Thursday, April 13 @ 8am

Where: (H) Taxation Sign up to testify or submit written comment

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SB-524: Revise unrelated business taxable income to include certain legal fees

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2023-04-13 08:00 AM - (H) Taxation

Let them know you are an "Opponent"

Talking Points:

• SB 524 would tax certain types of nonprofit organizations if they file a legal challenge when the government fails to comply with federal clean air and clean water laws, mining, land use, and other natural resource protection laws. This will have a chilling effect on nonprofits such as MEIC who use the judicial system to hold the government accountable when all else fails – meaning nonprofits would be unable to use the judicial branch to protect public health, clean air and water, and natural resources.

• Would impose a 6.75% tax on 501(c)3 organizations that sue government agencies for failure to protect public health and natural resources. 

• It would continue to allows business nonprofits to avoid this tax if they challenge a government decision and corporations would still be allowed to deduct legal expenses. 



• This is likely in violation of numerous constitutional rights including the rights to peacefully assemble and petition the government for grievances, as protected by the U.S. and Montana Constitutions. 

Read an article in the Billings Gazette about this bill.

HEALTH CARE RIGHTS

What: SB 516 - Support fertility preservation for young cancer patients 

Position: SUPPORT

When: Thursday, April 13th @ 8am  

Where: (H) Business and Labor

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SB-516: Provide for the Preserving Fertility Act

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2023-04-14 08:00 AM - (H) Business and Labor

Let them know you are an "Proponent"

Talking Points:

• Fertility preservation is medically necessary and is part of the standard of care (just like radiation or chemotherapy) for age-eligible oncology patients.
• It doesn't make sense that insurance coverage would not align with an oncologist's medical recommendations and standards of care for their patients. 
• Young Montanans who face cancer should be supported by insurance coverage that aligns with the care their oncologists say is medically necessary. 
• No young Montanan should have to face cancer treatment knowing they must give up the hope of future parenthood because they cannot afford to finance oncologist-recommended fertility preservation

HUMAN RIGHTS

What: SB 458 - Creates a narrow, unscientific definition of “sex” in Montana law.  

Position: OPPOSE

When: Thursday, April 13 @ 8 am

Where: (H) Judiciary

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SB-458: Define sex in Montana law

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2023-04-13 08:00 AM - (H) Judiciary

Let them know you are an "Opponent"

Talking Points:

• This bill is 61 pages long, affects 20+ agencies and could cause Montana institutions like universities and jails to lose critical federal funding.
• This bill puts over 7 billion dollars of federal funding at risk. That’s half the state budget.
• This bill is incredibly extreme, hateful, and unnecessary.
• Defines sex according to reproductive capacity and would ban driver’s license, birth certificate, and marriage license changes, etc. 
• Biologically inaccurate and erases trans and non-binary people completely