Montana Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer used his “VETO” branding iron on a number of bills on the lawn of the state capitol on Wednesday. “These bills are either frivolous, unconstitutional or in direct contradiction to the expressed will of the people of Montana,” Schweitzer said in a statement. Here’s a list of the legislation the governor vetoed:
SB 114 – Hinkle – Federal law enforcement officers should communicate with sheriff
HB 318 – Warburton – Ensure county oversight in movement of publicly-owned wild buffalo or bison
SB 109 – Barrett – Revise definition of eligible renewable resources
HB 272 – Flynn – Eliminate ability for FWP to use hunting access fees to acquire fee title lands
SB 159 – Priest – Revise energy efficiency and code adoption requirements in building codes
HB 180 – Edmunds – Revise close of voter registration
SB 306 – Murphy – Revise mining laws regarding cyanide health and vat leach open-pit mining
HB 456 – Smith – Define scope/ boundaries of human sexuality/reproduct ed in K-12 public schools
HB 464 – Blasdel – Provide medical liability protection for hard-to-recruit subspecialists
SB 111 – Sonju – Limit noneconomic damages in motor vehicle accidents
SB 228 – Priest – Prohibit creation of health insurance exchange under PPACA
SB 324 – Balyeat – Revise consumer protection laws and settlement proceeds
SB 370 – Priest – Require cost-benefit analysis of mandated health insurance coverage of service
SB 254 – Hutton – Provide state eminent domain authority for federal lands
HB 161 – Milburn – Repeal medical marijuana law
SB 183 – Brown – Revise interim zoning laws
HB 542 – Esp – Revise subdivision and platting act
House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade, responded later in the day: “Today the Governor rejected bipartisan legislation that would have put people back to work. Vetoing a good idea in tough times does nothing but leave folks feeling the burn of fewer jobs, more expensive housing and higher healthcare costs. If the Governor insists on burning Montanans by vetoing common sense legislation, he can expect the overrides to continue.”