2019 Legislature Report

We had day 71 last Friday. From that day forward, we have 19 days left of the regular session to finish business. The final outcome of many bills is still very much in limbo. Last minute amendments come into play in the committee meetings or on the chamber floors. The original title of a bill often is a little different from the final passing of a bill. Sound bites coming from the newspapers and television news are also not always close to the final wording of a bill as it becomes law. This is how the process works. It is often compared to making sausage, the outcome is changed during the process and the final result is not finished until it goes into the casing and comes out of the smoker.

We have passed some good bills with traditional education and career technical education that should especially help the smaller schools around the state. Medicaid reform was tabled in the Senate last week with the word it would be blasted out of committee. The House is working primarily on Senate bills and the Senate is working on the House bills. We still have time to accomplish help for our vulnerable members of society. Long days on the House floor still lie ahead. We have an obligation to balance the budget. The final version will probably one of our last votes, but know long hours of work and discussion have gone into it to keep Montana solvent, safe, healthy and well educated.

Representative Denley M. Loge, House District 14,

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