Author: forwardmontana

What the Helena: Week 2

Posted on by forwardmontana

 

Hi. It’s me again.

We’re through week two of the legislative session. If you’re already feeling a little overwhelmed, WELCOME. This is the space for you. I have like fifteen tabs open on my computer right now. Two of them are the same news story. Three of them are just my email inbox. I think it’s time to do a little tidying up.

If you haven’t seen the new Marie Kondo Netflix special then idk where you’ve been, but she’s got half the internet purging their closets. The method: Hold an object, and if it doesn’t ***spark joy*** get rid of it immediately. I firmly believe it doesn’t just apply to your DVD collection or that plastic bin full of random cords under your desk. Let’s try that shit on some LEGISLATION.
Sparking joy:
  • Sen. Diane Sands has introduced a bill that would make it mandatory that all sexual assault kits get tested in the State Crime Lab. This may seem like a no-fucking-brainer, but a report in 2015 found 1,140 untested kits in Montana. This is a long-overdue change to help bring justice to survivors.

  • A lot of rural communities rely on volunteer firefighters to battle blazes — but when they get hurt, there’s sometimes no money for workers compensation. A new bill would put a 5 percent tax on fireworks to fund payment for injured firefighters. The only people opposed are the fireworks companies, and I’m going to go out on a limb here and say we shouldn’t make policies based around the wishes of people who make explosives.
  • Remember when you were a teenager and finally negotiated a later curfew? Montana’s breweries are growing facial hair, getting their driver’s licenses and are ready for an extension on their beer curfew. House Bill 185 would allow breweries to stay open until 10 p.m., giving the rest of us more time to sip our IPAs and contemplate existence.
  • Rep. Shane Morigeau introduced House Bill 219 to abolish Columbus Day as a state holiday and recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day in its place. Missoula and Bozeman already made this change a few years ago, and I’m extremely ready to stop honoring this country’s most notorious colonizer with a holiday. Check out this video on the issue.
Throw it away:
  • It’s week two and already legislators are trying to restrict your voting rights. Sen. Mike Cuffe introduced SB 143 which would eliminate same-day voter registration, which was how over 12,000 Montanans voted in 2016. (I would provide you with 2018 stats, but the Secretary of State’s office hasn’t updated their data. I’m venturing down an email rabbit hole in search of the new numbers and will update you with anything I find down there.) If there was ever a time to CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS at (406)444-4800, it’s now.

  • I cannot stop thinking about this story on higher education funding, where we find out that Montana invested $41 per student in need-based aid last school year, while the national average was $539! WHY ARE WE NOT INVESTING IN THE STUDENTS WHO NEED IT MOST? In 2019 we are purging ourselves of this kind of negative energy and lobbying our legislators to help make! higher! education! attainable!

 

  • Look guys, I know we talked about it last week, but I just wanna make sure everything was clear: Work requirements for Medicaid are BAD. As many Montana legislators and activists are pointing out, work requirements in Arkansas kicked over 18,000 people off Medicaid in six months. This article lays out how difficult it can be for low-income people to report their work hours. A handful of Republicans are considering implementing work requirements. Let’s not, and say we didn’t.

  • The UM Community News Service wrote about the self-named “solutions caucus,” a group of moderate Republicans who meet frequently and are willing to compromise with Dems to pass legislation. The story included Rep. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell, saying that elected Republicans who don’t vote with the rest of the party make “a component of our service a lie to our constituents.”

 

Save the Dates and Such

Jan. 21 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day Lobby Day with the Montana Human Rights Network

Jan. 23 — Clean Power For All: Rally at the Capitol

Jan. 28 — Youth Legislative Voices Round Table

Feb. 6 — Montana Conservation Voters Conservation Community Lobby Day

 

Last But Not Least, a Little Inspiration

It’s super easy to get caught up in the minute, ever-changing details of the leg session — it’s enough to give anyone the January blues. Here is my offering to help ward them off: these incredible photos from the Jan. 11 public lands rally, where over 1,500 Montanans PACKED the capitol rotunda to support keeping public lands in public hands. The energy in these pictures warms my cold heart.

(FMT was there too — check out more pics of our cute staffers on Insta!)

 

 

Keep fighting the good fight, friends. Subscribe to this newsletter, if you haven’t already. See you next Sunday.

Margaret Grayson is Forward Montana’s Legislative Communications Fellow. A recent graduate of University of Montana, Margaret spent three years with the Montana Kaimin as a reporter and editor and interned at the Missoula Independent (RIP). Now she writes jokes for the internet and works to educate young folks about the legislative session.

What the Helena: Week 1

Posted on by forwardmontana

WELCOME to the first edition of the 2019 What the Helena newsletter. I’ll be writing every week to let y’all know what’s going on in the capitol and how it affects young Montanans.

Our goal? That the legislative session doesn’t need to be a 90-day anxiety stomach ache. (I mean, it still might be, which is why my side gig is selling antacids on the capitol doorstep. That’s show business, baby.) Basically, we’ll be helping you understand the issues that matter and the easiest ways to get your voice heard, along with calling out those who are working to cut your healthcare or restrict your rights.

If you’d like to get WTH in your inbox each Sunday, you’ll have to subscribe at the link here. *extremely Youtuber voice* LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE!!!!

Were you like me and thought this first week was going to be all about fun icebreakers and legislators taking cute class pics? Well, put on your top hat & grab your briefcase, because there’s already a helluva lot going on.

In this issue of What the Helena:

  • The Rules Debate: Boring but also EXTREMELY IMPORTANT (A Recurring Theme)
  • Medicaid Expansion: The Elephant in the Session that Everyone is Talking About
  • Renewable Energy: Speaking of Sunsets
  • Villian of the Week: Senate President Scott Sales

The Rules Debate: Boring but Also EXTREMELY IMPORTANT (A Recurring Theme)

The State House spent the first week debating the rules that govern how the House functions. Democrats and some moderate Republicans wanted to loosen the rules and spread power around a little bit, but the v conservative majority was less than enthusiastic.

The Speaker of the House assigns bills to committee — meaning if they don’t like a bill, they can send it to a committee where fellow reps are pretty much guaranteed to shelf it (ominously referred to as “kill committees”) or not send it to a committee at all, so it languishes without the House ever getting a chance to even consider it.

The biggest debate was about how many votes it takes to “blast” a bill out of a committee so it can be debated on the House floor. Currently, it requires a supermajority (60 votes) and some legislators wanted to change it to a simple majority (51 votes) so that when bills are stuck in committee, it takes fewer legislators to bring it out to the floor for discussion.

What we got, in the end, was a compromise that looks… pretty much like how the rules were before. A new set of rules passed 88-12 that lowered the number of required votes from 60 to 58. Serendipitously, 58 is the exact amount of Republicans that serve in the House.

But there’s good news: A majority vote in the House will now be required to assign bills to committees, and committees will be required to hold a hearing on every bill. Yay for distribution of power!

The gritty details of the fight that led up to the change are laid out in this Montana Free Press article.

The Elephant in the Session that Everyone is Talking About — Medicaid Expansion

Medicaid expansion is set to “sunset” this year, which is a strangely passive-aggressive codeword for “if we don’t fund it again, it will die and tens of 1000s of people will lose their health insurance.”

#DYK: 61% of Medicaid users are under the age of 40?

Democratic Sen. Mary Caferro has already announced a Keep Montana Healthy Act, and Republican Rep. Ed Buttrey is planning to introduce a bill called the Medicaid Reform and Integrity Act. This is definitely a space to watch — keep a special eye out for any bills that add more stringent requirements to qualify for Medicaid. These proposals use needlessly narrow definitions and many people with disabilities and serious illnesses will fall through the cracks.

Medicaid Expansion is so important, you should contact your legislator ASAP and let them know they should support renewing Medicaid Expansion! It’s v easy — just dial 406-444-4800 & the friendly capitol staff will help you with the rest.

Speaking of Sunsets — Let’s Talk about Renewable Energy!

Northwestern Energy will be releasing it’s procurement plan soon regarding their long-term ideas for energy sources. We’re going to go out on a limb here and say that they’re gonna want to invest in gas-fired power plants and not renewable energy — unless Montanans can rally and let decision makers know that aiming towards renewable energy sources is v important (read: the National Climate Assessment for deets).

There’s just a handful of opportunities for Montanans to give public comment. On January 18, there’s a public hearing at the capitol that will include Northwestern Energy, the Public Service Commission, and both the House & Senate Energy Committees. Here’s a Facebook event with more info! You can also hit up FMT’s Conservation Outreach Fellow, Caitlin Piserchia, with questions!

Villain of the Week: Senate President Scott Sales

Senate President Scott Sales has gone full MAGA and thinks that the border wall is an important use of $8 million of our tax dollars. First of all, hilarious how someone’s a fiscal conservative until the opportunity arises to spend money villainizing immigrants. Second of all, Sales’ told the Helena Independent Record that because Governor Bullock’s budget includes $30 million for preschool, we can also afford… to help build Trump’s wall. #SMDH

Any suggestions on what Sales’ Villain of the Week prize should be?

Mark Your Calendars:

1/16: FMT’s Legislative Tele-Townhall

1/18: Northwestern Energy Hearing

1/21: Martin Luther King Jr Lobby Day

1/28: Young Legislative Voices Round Table

Whew. That’s it for this week. If you found this even mildly entertaining, click here to subscribe & get WTH in your inbox each week. If you hated it and never want to hear from me again, congratulations, that will happen automatically.

Margaret Grayson is Forward Montana’s Legislative Communications Fellow. A recent graduate of University of Montana, Margaret spent three years with the Montana Kaimin as a reporter and editor and interned at the Missoula Independent (RIP). Now she writes jokes for the internet and works to educate young folks about the legislative session.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Legislative Season!

Posted on by forwardmontana

It’s not quite the “Night before Legislative Session” yet but to get into the holiday spirit, we hope you’ll pour yourself an eggnog and read our legislative session update to the poetic beat of the ‘Night before Christmas’…

It’s that time of the biennium for the session to start.

We’ve researched committees (allies & foes) and dusted off drafts of bills from the past. Our LAWS preference lists are crafted with care and our legislative friends are soon to be snug in their 100 some year old chairs.

As we look to the new year, we’re proud of our list of legislative priorities — we promise you won’t want to miss.

Student debt assistance for young farmers who commit to the state & $5 million for needs-based assistance so all students can access enough financial aid. We’ll be rallying for public lands and solar energy, plus making sure young people continue to access expanded Medicaid.

Last, but not least, we’ll protect our voting rights by supporting Automatic & Online Registration — because registering to vote shouldn’t take a whole public demonstration. And, finally, we’ll urge that 16-year-olds can serve as election judges and pre-register to vote so that they’re ahead of the curve.

Margaret, our 2019 Legislative Communications Fellow.

So much to do and that’s why we’re stoked to bring on a legislative communications fellow to help us email, post, and bellow our legislative work. Margaret Grayson heralds from student journalism, a recent grad, and comes to us with wit, good grammar, and an excellent smirk.

Keep up with our work through our weekly newsletter — we promise that Margaret’s prose will be so much better.

Thank you from Hannah Pate

Posted on by forwardmontana
Dear friend,

 

Ooooof! What an election cycle!

My work with Forward Montana began in February, when I was hired for the position of Campus Tour Manager. I traveled to campuses all over this great state, empowering students to vote. I learned a lot during this experience: how to drive on the highway in the winter, how to communicate with students and inspire them to vote and take on issues that matter to them, and how to get professors and other staff members super excited about empowering their students.

When campus tour ended in April, I craved more work in the field of investing in and educating my peers on how to use their voice. It was then I was offered the position of Six-Mill Levy Ambassador for Montana State University-Northern. There I had over 100 people pledge to vote for higher education funding, from first-time voters to people who had voted for decades!

This opportunity not only gave me more skill sets to continue in this field, but motivated me more than any candidate race that took place this November. After a couple of months off this summer, I had the opportunity to manage the new Six-Mill Levy Ambassadors for the fall. This gave me the unique, exciting opportunity to both develop professionally by supervising a team of organizers for the first time and continuing to work on the campaign I was so passionate about.

During this last position at FMT, I was challenged a lot. This fall was also my first semester at college, and I am a first-generation college student. I learned a lot about how to balance school and organizing, thanks to my co-workers! I am so thrilled that we had two ambassadors at UM, an ambassador at MSU, and a travelling ambassador this fall.

That being said, none of this would have been possible without your kind support. I cannot thank you enough— whether it be funding these positions so that I could learn from them, literally fueling me to get to campuses all over the state (gas is pricy!), or helping fund the totally motivating Youth Organizing Summit this September— I know we are all so thankful for your support here at Forward Montana. 
In Solidarity,
Hannah Pate
6-Mill Levy Lead Ambassador

Thank You from Hannah Clancy

Posted on by forwardmontana
Due to your generosity, the field workers, volunteers, and interns, including myself, were able to reach out to other young people in Billings (and statewide!) in the hopes of inspiring a sense of democratic duty.
One of my most cherished experiences as an intern was directly interacting with other college students regarding the 6-Mill Levy. Walking the pathways of MSU-Billings and interacting with other students allowed us to educate our peers about this ballot initiative. We put the consequences into a simple statement: if this levy does not pass, tuition will increase up to 18%. The concern of a drastically increased cost of education really allowed our fellow students to realize the importance, especially because it had the potential to jeopardize their academic future. After the 6-Mill passed, the hours we had spent gathering signatures were well worth it.
Forward Montana demonstrates to all citizens across the state that young people can make an impact. America’s youth are the largest voting base, however, with the unprecedentedly large 18-24 year old voter turnout this year, it is clear that your support made that dream possible. We are proud of our accomplishments thus far, however, we are not nearly finished stoking the fire of democracy.
Without your generosity, these acts towards civic engagement would not be possible. Our organization is humbled by your donations. Thank you from every employee, intern, and volunteer affiliated with Forward Montana, you are truly the fuel to our fire.
In solidarity,
Hannah Clancy
Billings Intern – Class of Fall 2018

MSU Student Voter Day Update

Posted on by forwardmontana
FMT Staff making plans to vote at Student Voter Day at UM

Student Voter Day was a wonderful time for students on campuses across Montana to turn in their absentee ballots, getting them to become passionate about voting. Students absolutely loved the free coffee, donuts, and hot chocolate along with the wide array of stickers that were available throughout the day.

Alix and Ali, the field organizers in Bozeman for Forward Montana, built a “Democracy Block”–a box that people were able to write about what they care about along with recommending three friends whom they planned on reminding to vote. Along with all the food, drinks, and stickers, we also partnered with Bridgercare and Planned Parenthood to help spread important values amongst young voters. Crazy Mountain Outdoors showed up as well and offered a giveaway for people who could answer politically themed trivia questions throughout the day.

Our partners helped to draw in even more people, and started many considerate conversations on important subjects in our community including: sexual health and safety, healthcare, and public lands. Our partners brought in a lot of young voters who were passionate about voting, encouraging them to speak up about issues they are concerned about. The Vote Goat that showed up during the afternoon was a huge hit, with many people stopping by and checking out our table while petting an adorable baby goat. As the day came to an end, our democracy block was full of passionate ideas and names, the people we partnered with had many thoughtful conversations with young voters, and most importantly, almost 40 students turned in their absentee ballots.

Between the food, the goat, and the democracy block that rocked the Montana State University’s campus, Student Voter Day was a success! As this event continues down the road, hopefully it will become more and more of a service to help students become passionate about voicing their opinions. Remember that election day is coming up on November 6th and that every vote really does count in this election!

Michael Nelson

Posted on by forwardmontana

Location: Billings, MT

Occupation: Forward Montana Field Manager

What are the key issues that you Give A Shit about?

I give a shit about the LGBTQ community. All of my siblings (myself included) are gay or bi, I have countless friends that identify with the wide breadth of human sexuality and gender. Left and right our safety, dignity, and respect is being jeopardized, as such it has never been so important to fight for LGBTQ equality. And to me, fighting for LGBTQ equality means fighting for women’s rights, decent healthcare, and for protections for consumers, renters and workers.

How would you describe your personal mission?

To bring smiles, warmth and laughter everywhere I go. To ensure everyone has a place in the movement.

Tell me about your “power outfit” — the outfit that makes you feel most badass (ex: pantsuit).

I live for a crisp navy blue suit with a floral print tie. That or jeans, ankle boots, campaign t-shirt and a FANNY PACK.

Who is your political crush?

Right now I have a big crush on Beto O’Rourke.

What’s your favorite part about Forward Montana?

I love the Leadership Development program. I love seeing our interns go forward into the world and do amazing things with the skills they learned at FMT. And I always weep with joy whenever they come back to work at FMT as field organizers, fellows, and program managers!

If you were running for President, what would your campaign song be?

“American” by RuPaul Charles… henny

What made you want to be a monthly Rockstar donor?

FMT made me the person I am today. I am constantly inspired by the bad ass work we do every year. I wanted to support the work that was going to empower myself and my generation to take back our democracy.

 

Why should other people sign on as monthly Rockstar donors?

You should become a rockstar because FMT is doing the work every single day to empower our youngest voters. From training interns, to educating voters at our candidate forums, to lifting up the countless ways in which young folks are trying to save this democracy, FMT is there to support them every step of the way. And we want you to come with us on this journey, become a rockstar.

 

We call our monthly members Rockstars because:

  • They allow us to budget for the long-term. In order to change the discussion, we need to be in business year-round. That means full-time offices, full-time volunteers, databases and other overhead costs. These things cost money — we can’t budget for ’em without steady cash-flow.
  • It’s a way for people of ordinary means to give extraordinary gifts. Most of us can’t give a gift of $100 at any one time, but we can give $10 a month.
  • Grassroots money means grassroots politics. We’ve always believed that democracy can only truly be transformed through the power of the grassroots — volunteers and small donors coming together to work for change.

Sign up to be a Rockstar HERE

 

Just a Little Nudge

Posted on by forwardmontana

Ever since I started working for Forward Montana, I’ve tried to encourage my 23 year old brother, Creath, to register to vote. One of my most recent attempts led him to respond, “Voting is just not something I ever think about doing. I don’t ever feel like I make an impact, so I really don’t care. And most of the time I disagree with both candidates that are running so much that I also don’t want to vote for someone whose views oppose mine. So I just don’t vote.”

Additionally, Creath said he felt uninformed which further disillusioned him. I told him I just want him to have a voice in politics and that many young people feel they aren’t educated enough to voice their opinions but that every single citizen should feel their opinions matter and should be heard. He responded saying that he just can’t keep up and ends up getting confused.

After getting a better feel for why he’s never voted, I was even more determined to change his mind. There was a meet and greet with a candidate running for office, and I thought it would be a great opportunity for Creath to see that not all candidates are the same and some really do listen to their constituents. He was very hesitant about going but said he would if I came, too, but assured me he would not be staying long. So I drove the 260 miles to Big Timber, and we went to the event together. I was thrilled to see Creath asking questions, voicing his concerns, and thoughtfully listening. He stayed the full two hours and took extra time at the end to talk one-on-one with the candidate.

Creath later told me that he was so glad he went and that he was finally inspired to vote. “I’ve never been interested in voting until I met an actual candidate who had a casual conversation with me. I’ve always just seen a bunch of advertising for campaigns, and that doesn’t do the trick for me. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t believe something until I experience it.”

The work Forward Montana does, including candidate forums, election watch parties, and partnerships with bands and breweries help make voting a more fun and engaging experience and open the door to a lifetime of engagement. Sometimes all a prospective young voter needs is a little nudge, and here at Forward Montana, we’re great at nudging. (It also doesn’t hurt to have an older sister nudging, as well.)

Austin Slominski

Posted on by forwardmontana

Pronouns: He/Him

Location: Missoula, MT

Occupation: Programmer

What are the key issues that you Give A Shit About?

Women’s healthcare, compassionate and fair immigration policy, public lands, LGBTQ+ rights, global climate change, and income inequality

How would you describe your personal mission?

My personal mission is to not make life harder for marginalized people and to support candidates that care about what is happening to our environment and the people in it, not money.

Tell me about your “power outfit” — the outfit that makes you feel most badass (ex: pantsuit).

I have a button-up shirt with a really chaotic floral pattern, I always feel excited to wear it.

How did you learn about Forward Montana?

I remember seeing Forward Montana interns throughout my undergrad, usually helping students register to vote.

What’s your favorite part about Forward Montana?

They are one of few organizations that are focusing on voter outreach to a younger generation.

Who is your political hero or political crush?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Beto O’Rourke make me feel more hopeful about the future.

If you were running for President, what would your campaign song be?

This Will Be Our Year by The Zombies

What made you want to be a monthly Rockstar donor?

I wanted to contribute in some way to an organization that I think Montana needs.

 

Why should other people sign on as monthly Rockstar donors?

If young people sit out elections, the people that will end up in power won’t represent them or their communities. If we want to see progressive causes get furthered in states like Montana, everyone with means should be participating and contributing to organizations that focus on those policies.

 

We call our monthly members Rockstars because:

  • They allow us to budget for the long-term. In order to change the discussion, we need to be in business year-round. That means full-time offices, full-time volunteers, databases and other overhead costs. These things cost money — we can’t budget for ’em without steady cash-flow.
  • It’s a way for people of ordinary means to give extraordinary gifts. Most of us can’t give a gift of $100 at any one time, but we can give $10 a month.
  • Grassroots money means grassroots politics. We’ve always believed that democracy can only truly be transformed through the power of the grassroots — volunteers and small donors coming together to work for change.

Sign up to be a Rockstar HERE