We want to believe that policymaking in Helena is compassionate. It’s not. Not yet anyways. It’s the day after St. Patrick’s Day. The day when many lawmakers and staffers return from Butte after celebrating in the heart of the mining city.
Our biennial Legislative Session is nearly two-thirds done. Next week are the last days to pass a revenue estimate for funds coming into state coffers; request study bills for the two-year interim; request bills that put referendums in front of voters; and introduce spending or tax bills.
In six weeks our Legislature will adjourn for another two years, unless there’s an extended session. That happens when our lawmakers fail to pass a budget or statewide tax collections dip below their revenue projections.
In six weeks, the wining and dining is largely over. Lobbyists will no longer be buying our lawmakers beers at the pubs or meals at Helena restaurants. Our lawmakers will change in to regular clothes as they again walk the streets of our hometowns attempting to explain what happened in Helena.
Our legislators’ salaries and per diems will soon largely end, but lawmakers’ individual health insurance benefits are likely to continue at $887 per month to the end of this year and increase to $976 per month next year.
In May, lawmakers will seek to work with our governor as the administration implements the bills he signed into law and interprets the biannual budget that the 64th Legislature likely enacted.
It’s a time when lawmakers have very little power as the governor runs the state. That’s the way our Montana Constitution sets it up.
The Legislature always focuses too much of its time on frivolous policy like banning yoga pants in public. Lawmakers have very few critical policies to decide. Passing the budget that fund the vision for our public services like education, healthcare and prisons is the only bill that must pass.
Our state budget is on the House floor for debate and amendments. It’s an exciting time as most lawmakers learn for the first time where and how our tax funds are allocated. Before this week the budget was largely sequestered in committees where a handful of ideological politicians carved away funds from programs that affect kids, safety, or education.
It’s a time in the legislative process when we’ll see if there’s a working majority, both Democrats and Republicans voting for the best policy to meet the needs of our very diverse state.
Moving forward toward the end of April the pace of the Legislature turns into more of a frantic race. It’s also the most emotional time in the process. Grown men may publicly cry.
A month remains for our lawmakers to decide the fate of critical policies like healthcare, property tax reappraisal, public infrastructure, and a water compact.
Party leadership teams always wait until the last possible moment to do anything. But the majority of the Legislature passes bills.
At stake for our 70,000 young, elderly, or veteran Montanans is healthcare. That’s thousands of neighbors right here in our towns and community.
Like two years ago, we as a state can leverage $700 million of our federal money over the biennium putting it to work into our rural communities.
Our hospitals in both Whitefish and Kalispell are desperately seeking solutions to the millions spent on uncompensated healthcare in the emergency rooms.
To some, political ideology trumps empathy. But what’s more important to you, than health and living? The desire to live longer lives, free of pain or illness, is simply human.
We are not compassionate when we deny our neighbors access to healthcare. I am hopeful that a working majority of our lawmakers remember that it’s life and health that matters most to our families.