HELENA – Montana’s secretary of state has decided not to appeal a court decision that blocked him from putting into law a bill that was vetoed by Gov. Steve Bullock.
Corey Stapleton had argued the veto was invalid because his office did not receive timely notice.
District Judge Mike McMahon granted the governor’s request for a preliminary injunction last month, saying Stapleton was improperly combining two laws to create an artificial deadline.
Lee Newspapers of Montana reports Stapleton agreed to a permanent injunction.
State law requires the governor to notify the secretary of state of a veto when lawmakers are out of session. McMahon ruled Stapleton incorrectly interpreted the law to say the governor only had 10 days to do so.
The bill sought to change the definition of wild bison in a way that targeted a conservation group’s efforts to create a wildlife reserve.
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