Page 27 - Flathead Beacon // 5.11.16

GOP proposals by staking a position that Gianforte called “my way or no highway.” Meanwhile, Bullock traveled to Butte to again pitch a $200 million plan he unveiled last week. Bullock used the State Korean War Veterans Memorial in Stodden Park as the backdrop for push-
ing for a bipartisan infrastructure plan. A compromise bill fell one vote shy of passage last year after wrangling over funding formulas and a list of projects
that outraged conservatives.
One of those proposed projects was a
veterans home that would have been built in Butte.
While Bullock and Gianforte say infrastructure funding will be a top pri- ority, neither has yet to esh out details of their plans.
HELENA
5. Montana Defends Campaign
Finance Law Ahead of Elections
Montana attorneys last week defended the state’s new campaign nance disclo- sure law against a gun-rights organiza- tion that wants parts of it struck down before next month’s primary elections.
The Virginia-based National Associa- tion for Gun Rights claims the law passed by state legislators last year would force it to register as a political committee for making issue-advocacy statements that are protected by the First Amendment. The law imposes burdens — ling reports, disclosing contributors and opening a bank account among them — on groups that “simply desire to talk about mat- ters of public concern,” the association’s attorney, Matthew Monforton, said in court lings.
State attorneys argued the law does not prevent so-called social welfare groups such as the National Association for Gun Rights from speaking freely, but it requires disclosure from those who do.
“Enjoining Montana’s election laws on the eve of an election would deprive Montanans of information that they have a compelling interest in knowing, at a time they need it most,” Assistant Attorney General Stuart Segrest wrote in court lings.
The gun-rights group is asking U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen to issue an order preventing the state from enforcing portions of the law by May 15.
HELENA
6. Sanders Visiting Montana, Clinton
Names State Organizers
The Democratic candidates seeking the party’s nomination for president have begun focusing some attention on Mon- tana ahead of the June 7 primary.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont plans to visit Missoula and Billings on May 11. The doors open at 10 a.m. for Sanders’ rally at Caras Park Pavilion in Missoula. In Billings, people can begin arriving at 5 p.m. for a Sanders rally at the Montana Pavilion at MetraPark.
Meanwhile state Rep. Jenny Eck of Helena has been named the state direc- tor of the Hillary for Montana campaign. Hillary Clinton has not yet announced any plans to visit Montana.
LIVINGSTON
7. Park High Bans Confederate Flags on School Property
Park High School recently banned Confederate ags from school property because they believed they were meant to intimidate a newly enrolled black student.
School administrators held a commu- nity meeting in Livingston last week to give people a chance to voice their con- cerns about how the issue was being handled.
Vice Principal Tom Gauthier said dis- ciplinary action was taken against one student who had allegedly made racial comments in the weeks before the ags showed up. He said the comments were not made in the presence of the new student.
Gauthier said the new student does not feel threatened and asked to meet with one of the two boys who initially dis- played the Confederate ag on his pickup truck.
Principal Lynn Scalia told the Living- ston Enterprise the one-hour conver- sation ended with the boys giving each other a hug.
BILLINGS
8. EPA Says City Now Meeting Air
Pollution Standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is reversing a 2013 nding that Montana’s largest city was out of compli- ance with air pollution standards, saying that the closure of a coal-burning power plant has eased the problem.
The closure of the 153-megawatt Corette plant reduced emissions of sul- fur dioxide to levels low enough to pro- tect public health in Billings as required under the Clean Air Act, the EPA said.
High levels of sulfur dioxide can impair breathing and cause other health problems. Children, the elderly and peo- ple with respiratory problems are most susceptible.
It’s the rst time the EPA has re-desig- nated a polluted area as making su cient air quality improvements to meet federal sulfur dioxide standards since 29 com- munities across the U.S. were ruled out of compliance.
Montana o cials said they had pre- vailed in their e orts to convince the EPA that it was using awed data. Gov. Steve Bullocks said the Billings area met the federal air quality standards even before Corette closed.
But the EPA said Corette was the “key contributor” to the pollution problem. It was the sole reason cited for the agency’s reversal of its 2013 nding, in a ruling signed by EPA Regional Administrator Shaun McGrath on April 4.
Bullock said the EPA’s move would ease restrictions that hampered indus- trial expansion in Billings.
The change in the state’s non-compli- ance designation is expected to go into e ect in June. The EPA had a 2018 dead- line for the state to control emissions, EPA spokesman Rich Mylott said.
STILLWATER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Presents...
May 18 2016
An Evening of Music
with Gospel music’s best
selling and most awarded artist...
STEVEN
CURTIS
CHAPMAN
Nearly 11 Million Albums Sold...44 #1 Hits...5 Grammys 58 Dove Awards...1 American Music Award
2 Pla num Records...10 Gold Records
For ticket prices & information: www.stillwaterchristianschool.org/ stevencurtischapman
With STILLWATER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Alumni:
FLANNEL GRAPH
MAY 11, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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