[NFBMT] Selected Bills I am watching that you might be interested in

Fri Mar 19 19:25:48 UTC 2021

Hello, fellow Montana Federationists.

The following is a list of bills I am watching and want to bring to your
attention, some of them because I am interested and some of them because they
pertain to us.  

The information is listed in this order: Bill type number; short title;
status; status date; bill in html format.

A * after the bill status indicates the bill is probably dead.  Oftentimes it
missed the transmittal date because it was tabled in committee.  I will put
two stars beside the bills which we may want to testify regarding, or at
least listen to, or ones that interest me and may interest some of you as
well. 

Hb 176 close late voter registration at noon the day before the election S.
(S) Hearing (S) State Administration 02/15/2021 

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0176.htm

HB 248 Revise the Montana primary election date (H) Missed Deadline for
General Bill Transmittal* 03/02/2021 

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0248.htm

HB 287 Provide that state pays postage for absentee ballot return (H) Missed
Deadline for General Bill Transmittal* 03/02/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0287.htm

HB 355 Require partisan elections for state, district, local judges (H)
Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal* 03/02/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0355.htm

HB 366 Generally revising election terminology for mail and absentee ballots
(H) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal* 03/02/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0366.htm

**HB 406 Revise absentee and mail ballot laws (S) Hearing (s) State
Administration 03/22/2021 3pm rm335

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0406.htm 

**HB 429 Revise governor's power to suspend election laws during emergency
(s) Hearing (s) State administration 03/22/2021 3PM RM335

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0429.htm

HB 441 Revise age requirements for election judges (H) Missed Deadline for
General Bill Transmittal* 03/02/2021 

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0441.htm

HB 452 Permit local governments to use rank choice voting in local elections
(h) missed deadline for general bill transmittal* 03/02/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0452.htm

HB 455 Generally revise election laws related to absentee ballots (H) Missed
Deadline for General Bill Transmittal* 03/02/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0455.htm

**HB 506 Generally revise election laws (S) Hearing -- (S) State
Administration 03/19/2021; 3:00 PM, Rm 335

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0506.htm 

**HB 530 Require secretary of state to adopt rules governing election
security (S) Hearing -- (S) State Administration 03/31/2021; 3:00 PM, Rm 335

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0530.htm

HB 563 Revise election laws (H) Bill Withdrawn per House Rule H30-50(3)(b)*
03/12/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0563.htm 

HB 598    Generally revise disability parking laws (s) hearing (s) Highways
and Transportation 03/23/2021 3pm rm405 

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0598.htm

HB 613 Generally revise laws related to tribal voting (H) Hearing -- (H)
State Administration 02/26/2021; 8AM Rm 455

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0613.htm

**HB 643 Allowing a disabled voter to electronically return a ballot (H)
Referred to Committee -- (H) State Administration 03/17/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0643.htm

HB 651 Generally revise ballot initiative laws (H) Introduced 03/18/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/HB0651.htm

SB 15 Revise election laws related to accessibility for disabled electors (S)
Signed by Governor 03/16/2021 

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/SB0015.htm

SB 93 Revise provisions related to poll watchers (S) Sent to Enrolling
03/17/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/SB0093.htm

SB 107 Extend close of regular registration until 10 days before election day
(S) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal* 03/02/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/SB0107.htm

SB 113 Limiting referendums to 100 words, exclusive of statute sections (H)
Returned to Senate 03/18/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/SB0113.htm 

SB 169 Generally revise voter ID laws (H) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as
Amended -- (H) State Administration 03/17/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/SB0169.htm

SB 170 Require annual voter registration list maintenance (H) Returned to
Senate 03/18/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/SB0170.htm

SB 196 Generally revise polling place hours laws (H) Committee Report--Bill
Concurred as Amended -- (H) State Administration 03/16/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/SB0196.htm

**SB 254 Revising Daylight Savings Time (h) Energy, Technology, and Federal
Relations Committee (h) Hearing 3pm rm472 03/19/2021

http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billhtml/SB0254.htm

LC3088 improve printed communications for visually impaired Montanans in
drafting process.

Correspondence between Shyla Patera and Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway: 

Shyla: "I just wanted to touch base with you(LOLA) on LC 3088. You(LOLA)
wanted to use that, if necessary, for an appropriation for Newsline, the
reading service for blind and visually impaired people.

Lola: The appropriations subcommittee did put $60,000 into the State Library
budget for that service in each year of the biennium, so HB 2 has that
funding right now."

This is exciting news for you and the visually impaired members of our state.
Thank you for allowing me to help you out in this matter.

Respectfully,

Representative LOLA Sheldon-Galloway. HD 22

Meeting Archives

H2: General Appropriations Act  

Monday, February 8, 9:00AM: Joint Committee on Education Hearing, at which we
testified.  

http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00309/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20
210208/-1/42286  

Wednesday, February 10, 8:30AM: Joint Committee on Education work Session 

http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00309/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20
210210/-1/42341

On Tuesday, February 16, 2021, the Joint Committee on Education took
executive action on NFB-Newsline funding, and moved that sixty thousand
dollars be designated to fund NFB-Newsline for each of the next two years.
The vote was 6 to 2. They will want the library to furnish them with actual
usage numbers and actual expenses for NFB-Newsline for the next two years, to
determine whether they have authorized enough or too much and will need to
make adjustments down the road.     

My heartfelt thanks to Sheila and Representative Lola Galloway for their help
in getting this legislation introduced.  I think we have a good shot at
getting this passed this session.  This is a really important step for us
regarding something we really need.  Thanks to all for their testimony.  

Joy Breslauer, First Vice President and Advocacy and Public Policy Committee
Chair 

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

Web Site: http://www.nfbofmt.org

Live the life you want

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want.