Capitol Talk

The 2025 session has adjourned and delivered on its promises of tax relief — but will taxpayers think they did enough? Republican leaders vow retribution for those in their ranks they felt betrayed the party. And the Capitol Talk team gives their biggest takeaways from this session.

The "bathroom" law remains stalled in the courts. Lawmakers appear poised to pass the state budget. Sen. Daines gets a presidential endorsement. And female senators call out sexism in the chamber.

Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez bring their "Fight Oligarchy" tour to Missoula, and their populist message has a familiar ring. Republican leaders criticize the tour as being out of touch with Americans' real concerns. Lawmakers continue to grapple with how best to keep a campaign promise to lower your property taxes.

Opposition to Trump 's policies draw thousands of Montanans to protests. The state Republican party tries to excommunicate nine legislators. Bills aimed at making judicial races overtly partisan appear to be failing. And members of the Blackfeet Nation sue over Canadian tariffs.

Sen. Ellsworth gets his punishment. Montana's congressional delegation stands behind the Trump tariffs. Humanities Montana becomes a victim of the DOGE cuts. And, the old fight over who should own public lands resurfaces.

Two Republican Senate leaders continue to battle allegations of ethics violations. The governor signs two anti-trans bills into law. The House takes up the main budget bill. A Kalispell Republican loses his effort to name Jesus the ruler of all nations. And the late, great journalist Chuck Johnson is honored at the Capitol.

The state Senate is mulling an ethics report about one of its own. Lawmakers hope to pass bills to boost teacher pay. The state school superintendent supports eliminating the federal Department of Education. And Montana's congressional delegation has no desire to hold public town halls.

Montanans voice mounting concern about the impact of federal budget cuts and tariffs. Montana's governor and congressional delegation don't seem to share those concerns. And the Montana Legislature faces a busy, and possibly contentious second act.

Another state senator faces an ethics investigation. A state rep. suddenly resigns. A Missoula senator pleads guilty to a DUI. And a controversial "bathroom bill" awaits the governor's signature.

Confusion reigns at colleges like the University of Montana as they struggle to interpret presidential executive orders to erase diversity, equity and inclusion. The Montana Republican party's split continues to play out publicly. And several bills to cut your property taxes are moving toward a climax.

Senate Republicans continue to split votes on key issues; Medicaid expansion is well on its way to passage; Montana's congressional delegation isn't concerned — yet — about federal workers being fired; And Montana public school classrooms won't be displaying the Ten Commandments.

Press freedom and press access are at stake in the fight over the Gulf of Mexico's name. Legislators want to make sure you use the right bathroom. A climate change court ruling is behind several bills to change Montana's environmental laws. And Republican lawmakers join Vice President Vance in making fun of climate activist Greta Thunberg.

More hard feelings erupt in the state Senate. State lawmakers appear poised to ban trans women from competing in women's sports. And Sen. Tim Sheehy says Elon Musk is doing a great job.

Threatened cuts to federal funding have Montana organizations anxious. The state Senate gears up for an ethics investigation. Medicaid expansion bills advance. The Democratic party is looking for a new leader. And state workers — and legislators — would get a pay raise under a proposed new pay plan.

A Republican state senator is in trouble for a questionable no-bid contract. Courts side with the Montana press in legislative transparency case. And Montanans imprisoned for attacking the Capitol on January 6th are freed by the new Administration.

Gender identity and anti-trans legislation are a repeat focus this session. Lawmakers begin work on property tax changes. The governor is quiet about Medicaid expansion. Sen. Sheehy wants to know how many pushups the Secretary of Defense nominee can do.

The first week of the 2025 Legislature gets off to a contentious start. Gov. Gianforte invites Elon Musk to Montana. Legislative leaders plan to revive efforts to change the judiciary. Newly sworn-in Senator Tim Sheehy is wasting no time making a splash. Retiring Congressman Matt Rosendale makes a quiet exit.

Republican lawmakers say they delivered for Montanans. Democrats say they kept a lot of bad things off the books. The Regier family reigned over much of the action. And this session marked a political turning point — but in what direction?

Republicans ban a trans lawmaker from the House floor, putting Montana in the national news spotlight. Meanwhile, much work remains on the budget as the end of the session approaches.

Republicans try to silence transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr. Anti-trans bills are on their way to becoming law. Lawmakers table a bill to create a one-time "jungle primary" in next year's Senate race. The defeat of that bill may have political fallout for Senator Steve Daines.

Abortion in Montana could be severely limited if a slew of bills headed to the governor's desk become law. Montana's attorney general intervenes in a lawsuit to ban an abortion pill. Another bill seeks to answer the question of whether religious freedom protects bigoted speech. And lawmakers hope more money will help fix problems at the Warm Springs state hospital.

Rosendale attends Trump's post-arraignment event. Republican leaders want to change election rules — but only in one race. Many Cascade County residents are not happy with how their top election officer is doing her job. And several proposed amendments to the state Constitution may not make it to the ballot after all.

Congressional opponents of a ban on assault weapons, including Montana Sen. Jon Tester, aren't swayed by another school shooting. Neither are many state legislators, who want to expand, not limit, gun rights in Montana. A reference to Satanism prompts a walkout in a Senate committee hearing. And wilderness schools for troubled teens are once again in the legislative spotlight

There aren't many Democratic fingerprints on the budget passed by the House. Montana's Legislature is just one of several targeting transgender issues. And state Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen gets an earful on a statewide tour. Is she aiming for higher office?

Montana's A.G. threatens to sue Walgreens over the abortion pill. The 2024 ballot could include a slew of proposed constitutional changes. Gov. Gianforte celebrates a major legislative win. And some Republican lawmakers propose a definition of sex.

The Capitol Talk team remembers a dear colleague. Rep. Rosendale keeps hanging out with some bad guys. The Legislature buckles down on budget work. And Sen. Steve Daines may back an unknown Bozeman businessman to challenge Jon Tester for his Senate seat.

The Governor celebrates a major win midway through the legislative session. Democrats hope to fend off attempts to weaken the judiciary. And speculation grows over who will challenge Jon Tester for his Senate seat.

Democrats cheer Senator Tester's re-election bid. Republicans excommunicate former governor Marc Racicot. Moderates celebrate a couple of tough legislative victories. And everyone is scrambling to meet the deadline to transfer bills from one chamber to the next. Learn more now on Capitol Talk.

There's rare bipartisan agreement over what to do about wayward balloons. Abortion remains a dominant legislative issue. Montana's former secretary of state wants to now be a country singer. And lawmakers argue over whether Columbus was a good guy or bad guy.

Bills affecting transgender Montanans draw emotional debate. Scientific theories are targeted for elimination from public education. And Senator Daines battles Twitter and "San Francisco elites."

Montana political leaders want some answers about a Chinese spy balloon floating in the Big Sky. Senator Steve Daines is moving up the party leadership ladder. The Republican plan for allocating a billion dollars is headed to the Senate. And prominent Montanans lead a rally to support the state Constitution

In his State of the State Address, Gov. Gianforte said Montana's economy is coming up roses, but Democrats found plenty of dandelions. And Flathead County commissioners have drawn widespread criticism for their views of the county's homeless population. Learn more now on Capitol Talk.

A lawmaker's resignation highlights the downside of Montana's part-time legislature. The governor's tax relief proposals face some bipartisan opposition. And another effort to make abortion illegal is likely headed to the courts.

Rep. Rosendale refuses a call from Trump. State Sen. Regier withdraws a resolution Native Americans found insulting. Rep. Zinke warns of threats to cowboys. And more Montanans may lose Medicaid funding

Republican legislators in Montana appear as divided as their counterparts in Congress. Rep. Matt Rosendale gets the spotlight in the fight for a new House speaker. Montana lawmakers must decide how to spend $2 billion. A draft resolution blows a loud dog whistle over Native American rights. Learn more now on Capitol Talk.

The 2021 Legislature produced a balanced budget with a slight spending increase, some new restrictions on abortion, a fight with the state Supreme Court and a lot of fulfilled conservative goals. Holly, Rob and Sally give their final takeaways from the session and preview the upcoming race for Montana's new second congressional seat. Listen now on this year's final episode of Capitol Talk with Sally Mauk, Rob Saldin and Holly Michels.

The dispute between Republican legislative leadership and the state Supreme Court will likely continue after the legislative session ends. This as Montana joins several states in passing changes to voting laws — and those changes are already being challenged in court. And Friday, lawmakers reached a compromise on how to implement recreational marijuana. Listen now on Capitol Talk with Sally Mauk, Rob Saldin and Holly Michels.

COVID leads to the cancellation of floor sessions at the Legislature as the Republican leaders are in a subpoena standoff with the state Supreme Court. All this as a bill to ban abortion dies in the Senate, the governor tries to prohibit "vaccine passports" and a Montanan may become the next head of the Bureau of Land Management. Listen now on Capitol Talk with Sally Mauk, Rob Saldin and Holly Michels.

Gov. Gianforte is one of Montana's new cases of COVID. The marijuana bills are now in the Senate's lap. The House votes to abide by the First Amendment. The Republican PSC opposes a Republican Colstrip bill. And the Republican renaissance in Montana owes a lot to the legacy of former Governor Stan Stephens. Listen now on Capitol Talk with Sally Mauk, Rob Saldin and Holly Michels.

The "beast bill" heads to the Senate. The attorney general sues over restrictions on the use of federal COVID relief money. Montana could lose millions in federal education money because of a bill banning transgender students from participating in women's sports. A bill to make it easier for Native Americans to vote is killed. And a progressive blogger ends his long run as an influential gadfly. Listen now on Capitol Talk with Sally Mauk, Rob Saldin and Holly Michels.

Gov. Greg Gianforte makes headlines after trapping a Yellowstone wolf — while bills targeting wolves head toward passage. Republican lawmakers want to eliminate same-day voter registration. And the so-called "beast bill" — directing how billions in federal COVID relief money will be spent — crawls forward. Listen now on Capitol Talk with Sally Mauk, Holly Michels and Rob Saldin.

The many moving parts of the state budget have pushed lawmakers to extend the session — but Montana's Legislature isn't the state's only busy branch. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has filed yet another lawsuit against the Biden Administration. At the same time, prominent Montanans are suing Gov. Greg Gianforte over his effort to directly appoint judges. And, as a racist social media post by a Republican lawmaker resurfaces, Montanans are learning that overwhelming public opposition to legislation does not guarantee a bill's defeat. Listen now on Capitol Talk with Sally Mauk, Holly Michels and Rob Saldin.