HELENA — With the 64th legislative session set to convene Monday, Republicans and Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock seem miles apart on their top priorities and pledges to work together seem few and far between.
While Bullock says he wants to makes investments that will benefit Montanans for generations, incoming Republican House Speaker Austin Knudsen says his party wants to exercise caution.
“The governor’s budget shoots the moon and is everything,” said Knudsen of Culbertson. “We’re going to want to pare it back, be cautious.”
To that end, two of Bullock’s top priorities — expanding Medicaid to 70,000 low-income Montanans and funding preschool programs for 4-year-olds — are getting a chilly reception from Knudsen.
He said Bullock’s Medicaid proposal, which would model an expansion after the state’s Healthy Montana Kids program, faces the same hurdles as it did in the 2013 session. Republicans are concerned about costs as federal money for it lessens over time. The GOP proposal would expand Medicaid to a smaller number of Montanans although those ideas are not yet attached to bills.
Knudsen also said the studies he’s read on preschool don’t show it as a worthy investment and said if someone can show him data proving that those who attend later score higher on ACT tests, he might consider it.
“What I’ve seen makes me dubious,” he said.
Bullock said he hopes he and Republicans can come together on issues important to mainstream Montanans, and he says that includes Medicaid expansion and preschool.
“Last session we did find legislators who wanted to get things done in the state of Montana,” Bullock said of Republicans who broke away and worked with him on the state budget, pension fixes and leaving some money in the bank. “Hopefully we’ll find that path to get some stuff done.”
But incoming Senate Majority Leader Matt Rosendale said the party’s focus is at odds with Bullock’s.
“It can be summed up with a simple phrase,” the Glendive Republican said. “We plan to focus on policy and legislation that will help grow the economy while governor focuses on growing the government.”
Rosendale said the GOP plans to introduce bills that support a tax and regulatory climate that allows new businesses to open and makes it easier for businesses to expand.
Bullock countered that the state unemployment rate dropped a full point in 2014 and that Medicaid expansion would create 5,000 jobs. He also said a $380 million infrastructure bill he’s proposing is about growing the economy.
“We’re making investments today that will have a longer-term payoff for our state than one Republican leader’s term,” he said.
Top issues for lawmakers in the 2015 session:
MEDICAID EXPANSION
Gov. Steve Bullock’s “Healthy Montana Plan” for Medicaid expansion is modeled after the Healthy Montana Kids Plan which covers children in low-income families. The plan would use up to $750 million in federal dollars to expand Medicaid coverage to 70,000 low-income adults through state contracts with private insurance companies for health care at negotiated rates. Republicans have released an alternative proposal that could help some of those Montanans.
PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS
Bullock has proposed spending $37 million on voluntary preschool programs. “Early Edge Montana” would make half-day prekindergarten programs available to all 4-year-olds. Block grants would be made available to public school districts for the programs.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Bullock’s “Build Montana” legislation seeks to spend about $380 million on infrastructure construction such as water and sewer systems and capital improvements across the state. He proposes using a mix of bonding and cash to finance the projects. Some Republicans have said they would like to use cash only to pay for the projects.
FLATHEAD WATER RIGHTS COMPACT
Bullock and Attorney General Tim Fox have made an agreement with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on the Flathead Water Rights Compact that must be approved by the Legislature, tribes and Congress. The compact would make new water available for commercial and irrigation use, end the water administration void on the Flathead Reservation, allow some economic development and facilitate the resolution of the statewide water adjudication process. The compact also establishes a team that would implement water compact provisions relating to diversions of water into the irrigation project so that irrigator historic use is protected and tribal in-stream flow targets are met. The compact has been subject of more than a decade of negotiations. The 2015 session is the final chance for lawmakers to approve the compact. If they fail, the tribes will have to file claims in a state stream adjudication court by June 30, 2015.
GENERAL FUND MINIMUM BALANCE
Bullock wants a minimum of $300 million left in the state’s general fund account as part of his two-year proposed budget. Republican House Speaker Austin Knudsen said he agrees some money should be left in the account for unforeseen expenses, but it could be a much smaller amount. He also said money currently in the account could be returned to taxpayers.
TRANSFER FEDERAL LANDS TO STATE
Knudsen said he supports a bill that would allow a legislative committee to do more thorough research on transferring federal lands to the state for management. The Montana GOP passed a resolution last year supporting the transfer. Bullock says the idea threatens Montanans’ outdoor heritage and that the costs of managing an additional 30 million acres will force the state to sell off public lands to the highest bidder in order to pay to manage what’s left.
CHARTER SCHOOLS and TAX CREDITS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Many Republicans want publicly-funded charter schools in Montana and tax credits for private school scholarships and say the measures would allow families more educational choices. School and education groups have lobbied against the measures arguing that charter schools would siphon money away from traditional public schools. They also say tax credits for private school tuition is unconstitutional. Referendums are in the works that could put one or both issues on the ballot.