One of the things we love most about Forward Montana is working with young people to change our local communities for the better. We know that the combo of passion + conversation + clipboards is unstoppable in creating local and statewide change, and as organizers we’ve seen that change first-hand over the years. Like when,…
By Rachel Huff-Doria, Executive Director Transitions always bring new opportunities and new leaders to the forefront. While I’ve been on maternity leave, I’ve been inspired by our staff, interns, and volunteers who have been making waves across the state. Week after week, Forward Montana leaders continued to make headlines and BIG changes for our community:…
Public Lands SB 24 will increase funding for trails and outdoor recreation generating roughly $1.8 million for trails, state parks, and fishing access sites! It does this by increasing the voluntary motor vehicle registration donation from $6 to $9, and it’s the only funding increase for public lands to make it through the legislature this…
Medicaid Expansion Let’s quickly recap the ups and downs of Medicaid expansion this session. In the beginning, we were huge supporters of HB 425, which was Rep. Mary Caferro’s bill to continue expansion without adding any new hoops for enrollees to jump through. But that bill was killed by the House and Human Services committee…
Montana Human Rights Act Efforts to add gender identity and expression and sexual orientation to the Montana Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination, failed in the legislature. Our state lacks basic anti-discrimination protections in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and adoption. That means it’s currently legal — unless you live in one of the five…
Ok, so we took kind of an L on this one, y’all. But let’s review the two major types of voting rights legislation that was considered this year. Youth Enfranchisement Two bills that would’ve been awesome — allowing 16-year-olds to be election judges and allowing 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote — went down this session. These bills…
Hello folks. It’s not Sunday, but I’m sliding into your DMs anyways because the equivalent of a week’s worth of updates has been crammed into TWO DAYS OF LEGISLATING. I wanted to give y’all a Wednesday update on some big wins! We’ll make it brief. Let’s go. Medicaid Expansion Passes On Tuesday, the Senate voted…
I’m tired. You’re tired. Here’s a puppy gif because we deserve it. Events and Such March 15 — Medicaid Expansion’s Last Chance March 20 — Rockstar Hall of Fame Boy oh boy. This is a big week, folks. With only two weeks left in the session, important issues are…
Hi friends. No time for small talk! We have shit to get to! Stay in the Know Mondays — Missoula Medicaid Expansion Phone Bank April 20 — Rockstar Hall of Fame Keeping Young Montanans in Agriculture Agriculture is Montana’s largest industry — we’re talking a $4.6 billion impact on our state in 2015. But farmers and…
Is it Sunday AGAIN? The weeks are just flying by, friends. And SO MUCH WENT DOWN THIS WEEK. You may have heard that the House Human Services Committee took executive action on Medicaid expansion and our beloved HB 425 is gone. Rest in power sweet bill. But the other Medicaid bill saw some amendments that…
