Issues

Montana Women's Lobby
P. O. Box 11558
Bozeman, MT 59719-1558

A Partnership of American Association of University Women (AAUW) and Montana Business & Professional Women (BPW)

Barbara Brown & Stacey Scott, Co-Chairs
   brbrown@imt.net     slscott@coe.montana.edu

Other Board Members: Diane Ehrenberger, Darlene Siedschlaw, Corky Bush, Lindsey VanHemelryck, Susan Lubbers, Pat Simmons

MWL sponsored Roy Zimmerman and Katie Goodman on August 20, 2008 at the Labor Temple in Bozeman

Memberships and contributions are accepted at any time by sending in your check and contact information to the address listed above.

During 2007, the Montana Women’s Lobby:

·        Contracted with Linda Gryzcan to work as our lobbyist from December through April;

·        Achieved our legislative priorities with increasing the funding of the Indian Education for All and;

·        Prevention of domestic violence and predation and support for Jessica's Law;

·        Distributed the weekly and sometimes more frequent “Helena Hotflash” prepared by Linda for our members update on the status of legislation and requests for specific action;

·        Held our Biennial Lobby Day that included an update from Linda prior to hosting members of the legislature for lunch and members of the lobby testifying before the Senate Committee hearing the Indian Education for All bill;

·        Shared our legislative priorities with members of AAUW-Montana, Montana BPW;  Montana Legislators and Montana’s Congressional Delegation; coalition partners including Montana Women Vote, Montana Women For, Montana Reproductive Rights Coalition (NARAL), Montana Safe Schools Coalition, Montana Indian Education Association and Stand Up for Education.

 March 8 2007 International Women’s Day*

 
Casey Magan, Sally Babcock, Stacey Scott, Pat Simmons in the Capitol

A day of

 ACTION, EDUCATION and CELEBRATION 

at the Capitol in Helena

 Co-sponsored by Montana Women Vote, Democratic Women's Legislative Caucus, the League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women (AAUW), the Montana Business and Professional Women (BPW) and the Women’s Lobby

 Status of Women in the 2007 Legislature Rally and Press Conference

Co-hosted by the Democratic Women's Legislative Caucus

Legislator Frank Wilmer, Jeanne Etgen, Sally Babcock, Pat Simmons, Norma Boetel in the Capitol

Old Supreme Chambers, Rm. 303 --12:00 to 1:15pm.  For the first time, Montana has a legislative Women’s Caucus.  We met the women legislators and learned was happening during the session around issues important to women and families like: economic self-sufficiency, environmental health, education, reproductive rights, health care, human rights, and domestic violence and sexual assault, and voting.  

 Educational/Informational Workshops

Some great workshop were held in the capitol that day

o       10:00 to 11:30 How to Grassroots Lobby (rm. 472)Led by Judy Smith from Montana Women Vote

o       10:00 to 11:30 Being a Legislator (rm. 335)Sponsored by the Democratic Women’s Legislative Caucus

o       11:30 to 12:00 Clean Elections and Election Reform (rm. 335)Sponsored by The League of Women Voters

o       1:30 to 3pm What is happening around Health Care? (rm. 335)Sponsored by WEEL, the Montana Human Rights Network and Planned Parenthood

o       1:30 to 3pm Education Policy -- Indian Education for All and other topics (rm. 350)Sponsored by the American Association of University Women

Put On Your Purple!

In celebration of International Women’s Day and in honor of the suffragists who fought for our right to vote – we  wore purple, coloring the halls of the state house with our presence.

*Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. The United Nations holds an annual IWD conference highlighting women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. Women's organizations and governments around the world observe IWD annually on March 8th by holding large-scale events that honor women's advancement and diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.

BPW's main issue being tracked in the Legislature is SB 547. A summary of the original bill is shown below.

Click Here for Pledge Card

Summary of Legislative Session, 2005
The Montana Women's Lobby had three legislative priorities for the 2005 session. Maintaining Non-Gender Insurance, raising the minimum wage, and requiring school districts to have anti-bullying policies.   We also supported choice, low income issues, and human rights bills as time permitted.  Thank you for your calls & e-mails.  We could not have done it without you.

NON-GENDER INSURANCE Round 18
The Issue That Won't Go Away

Sen Duane Grimes (R-Clancy), sponsored this session¹s attempt to repeal non-gender insurance.  it fizzled. We had lots of support & the insurance companies had lackluster opposition.  You¹d think they would catch on and quit bringing it up every session.       

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE

The House Business & Labor Committee tabled Rep Christine Kaufmann's (D-Helena) bill to raise the minimum wage from $5.15/hour to $8.00--enough to bring a mom and one child up to poverty.  Sen. Dan Harrington (D-Butte), offered a bill to raise it to $6.00.  The Senate thought minimum wage workers should earn as much as the student pages who deliver messages at the Capitol and raised it to $6.25.  Another hundred bucks a month would have made a difference to the lowest paid workers, who would have unloaded the money in the local economy,  but free market fans said no.  Voters in even the most conservative states are saying yes, to raising the minimum wage.  Watch for a referendum.

SAFE SCHOOLS
Anti-Bullying Policies

Even a gutted version of SB 198 by Sen. Sam Kitzenberg, that would have required anti-bullying policies in schools, was voted down as part of the dreaded homosexual agenda.  Our R supporters could not stand up to the religious right who generated more than 100 calls per legislator.  The bill went down, but the work continues.  A bipartisan subcommittee demanded action from the School Board Assn & The Board of Public Ed.  At last bullying is on their agenda.  The Board of Public Education will be taking two hours of testimony on bullying in Montana schools at their next meeting on May 12th at 3:00 at the Montana School for the Deaf & Blind in Great Falls.  Consider attending or sending written testimony to the Board and please CC it to Betty Kijewski at the Montana Human Rights Network betty@mhrn.org.    

EDUCATION FUNDING--Two out of Three

The Montana Supreme Court ordered Montana to 1), define a free system of quality education, 2), develop a funding formula that will pay for it--a formula that must cover the fixed costs of schools during declining enrollments.  3),the legislature! must  fund education for the next biennium, until a new formula is in place.  

1)  SB 152 by Sen. Don Ryan (D-Great Falls), was the definition bill.  After having bipartisan input, it passed the House and Senate by wide margins.

2)  A Senate Education subcommittee met several times a week to create a new funding formula but they need more time.  $200,000 was appropriated so they can hire a consultant and continue to meet.  The entire legislature is expected to return in December to approve of the new formula.  

3)  In the meantime, schools need funding.  The legislature agreed on a 7% raise under the old funding formula or $80 million for the biennium.  $72 million will pay for  basic funding, Indian Education for All will get a little more than $3 million and the rest will go for special education and other programs.

There was an unsuccessful attempt to undo a 2003 provision that required districts to pay for retirement costs for federally funded programs.  Also on the chopping block was, HB 124 by Rep. Tom Facey which would have formed an insurance pool and helped pay for health care costs for school employees.

Will your property taxes go up?  That depends if your district is gaining or losing students.  According to Allison Farrell of the Lee Newspapers State Bureau, owners of a $100,000 house will pay up to $8/year more or as much as $9 less, depending on the district.

FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN

HB 47 by Rep. Kathleen Galvin-Halcro (D-Great Falls) promoted full day kindergarten.   Teachers say it allows them more time to teach an expanded required lesson plan, in a more relaxed manner.  During one of the legislature¹s you-had-to-be-there-to-believe-it hearings, opponents argued that more time at kindergarten is a communist plot to support abortion, and teach evolution ! and alternative lifestyles.  While these claims weren't taken real seriously, 10 million was not to be had in the midst of other school funding requests.     

HUMAN RIGHTS

There were attempts to include lesbians & gay men into anti discrimination and hate crimes laws.  Other bills would have legalized civil unions and allowed a next of kin registry.   Listening to the debate, you wouldn¹t have noticed that the hate crimes bill would have included women and people with disabilities.  You could have missed that unmarried elders could have registered as next of kin.  Lawmakers are behind their constituents on this, and voted down any measure they thought would benefit the LGBT community.

As always, the religious right came out in force on these bills. Dallas Erickson, from Montanans for Decency Through Law, has a list of 30 sexual fetishes that he has read at hearing after hearing.  This session, he focused on his three favorite, bestiality, pedophilia, and necrophilia, which are of course, are all orientations too.  During a House floor debate on the hate crimes statute, Rep. John Sinrud (R-Bozeman) gave a Bible reading & insisted that when he sang hymns with his infant son at a gay pride march, they could have been arrested for a hate crime.

We did move legislation farther this session.  The rabid right was taken a little less seriously.  The point is to keep the public discussion going--build allies, keep coming out, continue to speak against homophobia.  Eventually the legislature will move with the public.       
  
WOULD IT PLEASE THE COURT--NOT

Sen. Joe Balyeat (R-Bozeman) sponsored a series of bills to overhaul the Montana Supreme Court.  Sen. Balyeat figures that since we have a citizen legislature, we should have a citizen Supreme Court. !  He wanted to remove the requirement that they be attorneys, face term limits & be paid $20,000/year.  When the court overturns a law passed by the legislature on constitutional grounds, the legislature should be able to veto it with a 2/3 vote.   

Chief Justice Karla Gray turned down my offer of a part time job, feigning lack of experience.  I figured that if I didn¹t have to be an attorney to sit on her Supreme Court, she wouldn¹t need to be a mechanic to work in my bicycle shop.

ELECTION LAW

An effective coalition spearheaded by the League of Conservation Voters, made substantial changes to election laws, making voting easier and more accessible--
*  After registration closes, voters will be able to register and vote at the courthouse up to election day
*  Voters may use their signature as their only ID on returned absentee ballots
*  Absentee voters may request future absentee ballots instea! d of the current system of needing to request a ballot for each and every election.  
*  Voters won't have to reregister if they missed a federal election and want to vote in the next school, special or city election.  

*  Voting machines will be thoroughly tested and have a paper trail for recounts.
*  Paper ballots will be used for all elections with an exception for people with disabilities using touching screen machines.      

SB 319 by Sen. Jon Ellingson would have allowed public funding for Supreme Court elections  to insure a truly independent judiciary.  It lost by a frustrating one vote during the last days of the legislature.   

CHIP & TANF

Children's Health Insurance Program-CHIP

There were a total of six bills that intended to increase access to the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  Tobacco tax money will be used to! enroll more children.  A policy change will allow more families to access Medicaid, leaving more slots in CHIP.  Administrative costs will be lower and the enrollment form will be easier.      

According to Rep. Mary Caferro (D-Helena), who instigated many of these bills and was behind many of the detailed negotiations, 7,000 more low income children will be eligible for health insurance.

TANF-Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
HB 2 included a raise for welfare moms who now will care for their children at an amount equal to one third of the federal poverty level.  That's a whopping $408/month  for a family of three.

CHOICE
 
Every anti-choice bill was defeated this session and we even passed something progressive.  In spite of those who said it will curtail free speech, or affect striking nurses, clinic protesters now have to stay at least 8 feet away from patients and staff. Congrats to Congrats to Rep. Driscoll, NARAL & Planned Parenthood for moving this bill through the legislature.


DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Thanks to BPW for installing the Silent Witnesses in the Capitol.  Their shadowy presence is a moving reminder to the ultimate effect of domestic violence.

The Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence secured more than $400,000 in new money and passed several new laws that will assist victims and hold perpetrators responsible.  Well worth the increases cost to get married and divorced.  

*  Marriage license fees will go up $13 to fund parole officers who will make sure perpetrators will serve their sentences.  
*  "Rape kits" will allow sexual assault evidence to be collected for later use, even if the survivor does not want to press charges immediately.
*  Divorce filing fees will help fund legal representation for domestic violence
victims.
*  Victims of domestic violence or stalking may ask the Attorney General's Office to hold a "dummy address"  to help insure their address will not be traced.  Pass the word  
*  A minor cannot have reporting information used against her to charge her with minor in possession, removing one more obstacle to reporting.  
*  The law that allows unemployment benefits for victims of domestic violence, has expanded to include victims of sexual assault and/or stalking.

A bill that would have allowed same sex couples to be covered by the partner and family assault laws was voted down.

Opponents introduced the perennial  "Unborn Child Protection Act" to increase penalties for harming a fetus.  Our side introduced a bill to enhance penalties for violence against pregnant women.  Neither bill made it through.

Thanks to info from Kate Cholewa who did a dynamite job lobbying these bills.

It is hard to believe the session is over.  I actually miss hauling around a 30 pound briefcase & running the Capitol steps two at a time. I¹ve had to relearn manners.  I no longer corner people in hallways. I miss my daily fix from the information desk chocolate basket.  But it is awfully nice to have a day off.  See you at the next session.    

Linda Gryczan
Lobbyist 

The Mission of the Montana Women's Lobby

Reproductive Freedom

Domestic and Sexual Violence

Women in Government

Care of our Children

Health Care

Poor Women

Social Justice

MWL also works for:

• Insurance Reform
• Tax Reform
• Comparable Worth Legislation