Gianforte Administration Reverses Guidelines for Permits, Again Allowing for Weekend Events at the State Capitol

The Montana Department of Administration has again reversed its guidelines that prohibited permits for weekend rallies on state grounds.

Following public pushback, the department last Friday revised its guidelines that previously restricted event organizers from setting up equipment and using state resources for weekend gatherings, according to the General Services Division website. 

The change comes after DOA director Misty Ann Giles told a legislative budget committee last week that she would revisit the permit rule after initially stating that the change to close weekend events was “no big deal.”

A DOA spokesperson previously told Montana Free Press that the change to close on weekends was intended to save money. Giles told the committee that she only had five staff members who work events and that working weekends puts additional strain on state resources. 

Area organizers for the “No Kings” rally first brought up the weekend ban earlier this month, calling it an infringement on their right to free speech and assembly, since the nationwide protests are held on Saturdays. 

“With word from the agency that it is suspending the new policy, we do plan to stage the ‘No Kings’ rally at the Capitol flag plaza,” Indivisible Helena organizer Barbara Barnes told MTFP Monday. “That does mean, however, that we have to submit paperwork to the agency, which we are in the process of doing right now. We don’t expect any issues.”

The DOA has not responded to MTFP’s request for comment. 

This story originally appeared in the Montana Free Press, which can be found online at montanafreepress.org.