MSA 2017 Legislative Scorecard
www.montanasportsmenalliance.com Montana Sportsmen Alliance Scorecard
2017 Legislative Session
Methodology: We have put out a number of legislative scorecards over the years. The MSA Leadership Team suggests bills we might consider. Together, we choose the most egregious bills. We also include bills we supported. We then hire Kathryn QannaYahu to build the matrix and fill in the data. No one knows the end result until the tabulations are finished.
We are officially non-partisan. We will endorse folks from any party if they share our philosophy; and are committed to work for the benefit of Montana Resident sportsmen/women; and the long-term conservation of public trust resources.
We have a policy of “no federal lands transfer”. We will not endorse any candidate who advocates a federal lands transfer position.
There are a number of things that may clearly be gleaned from our scorecard. We have a larger than usual number of 100% voters and more 0% voters. Other political leanings, D’s vs R’s, men vs women, and party policy, you can decipher for yourselves.
We hope the scorecard is valuable to folks when elections come around. MSA has chosen the following bills and their positions for the MSA 2017 Legislative Scorecard:
1. HB 295: Tom Jacobson, (D) HD 21 - Increase fine for gating a public road, Blast Motion failed 2/27/2017, Died in Standing Committee 4/28/2017. SUPPORT: MSA supports legislation to include “locked gates” as an encroachment on public roads, as well as increasing the fines for failure to remove the encroachments. 2. HB 324: Bradley Hamlett, (D) HD 23 - Revise laws related to state parks' administration, Vetoed by Governor 4/20/2017. OPPOSE: MSA believes State Parks are a valuable part of Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks and should be administrated as a whole, under the FWP Director, avoiding administration and fiscal redundancy. 3. HB 454: Kerry White, (R) HD 64 - Revising the administration of state parks and related recreational programs, Died in Process 4/28/2017. OPPOSE: MSA opposes the move of Parks to the Dept. Commerce (same as HB 324) and allows the board to hire the director. It fails to rectify assets purchased with Pittman-Robertson and Dingle-Johnson funds, thereby jeopardizing those funding sources. 4. HB 568: Kerry White, (R) HD 64 - Revise laws related to nonresident hunting, Died in Process 4/28/2017. OPPOSE: MSA opposed the mandatory 10% allocation for Non-residents, in another attempt to bypass the public process, another attempt to legislate game management over FWP Commission Authority. 5. HB 651: Matt Regier, (R) HD 4 - Revise laws related to public access projects, Died in Process 4/28/2017. OPPOSE: MSA opposed the redundant creation of a special Public Land Access advocate reporting only to the State Land Board. Both FWP and DNRC already have these positions. 6. HJ 9: Kerry White, (R) HD 64 - Resolution supporting the release of certain wilderness study areas, Filed with Secretary of State 4/27/2017. OPPOSE: MSA opposed this resolution; the latest attack on our public lands sponsored by the same people who want to transfer these lands to the state and private interests. This resolution is a top down edict from Helena, that undermines years of collaborative work by Montanans to shape the future of the public lands nearest their communities. 7. HJ 11: Virginia Court, (D) HD 50 - Joint resolution honoring public lands, Died in Standing Committee 4/28/2017. SUPPORT: MSA supported the resolution to honor our Public Lands; opposing any effort at public lands transfer. 8. SB 91: Jedediah Hinkle, (R) SD 32 - Clarify what constitutes as shooting from a vehicle for hunting purposes, Signed by Governor 3/31/2017. OPPOSE: MSA opposed this bill that resulted from an outfitter getting pinched for a couple clients road hunting and shooting illegally. While MSA doesn't have a problem with law clarification, there remains a provision for shooting using a vehicle rest. We feel there MUST be separation from the vehicle. Handicapped hunters are already covered by their own legislation. 9. SB 264: Nels Swandal, (R) SD 30 - Revising rulemaking for reporting to Board of Outfitters, Vetoed by Governor 04/03/2017. OPPOSE: MSA opposed dismantling the system for the oversight and accounting of outfitters activities in Montana, removing Board of Outfitting reporting. 10. SR 16: Edward Buttrey, (R) SD 11 - Confirm Governor's appointee to Board of Outfitters, Died in Process 4/28/2017. SUPPORT: MSA supported the confirmation of Robin Cunningham as chair of the Board of Outfitters (Boo). Mr. Cunningham had been tracking Boo since 1991. Without his institutional knowledge, the board would be hamstrung and not able to function nearly as efficiently as it has. Mr. Cunningham was fair to all parties, including the public.
3rd reading Yeas, Nays, Excused, Absent; 2nd reading (Y2, N2, 3rd reading not available for bills which died earlier); Blast Motion to get the bill out of Committee(YB, NB); N/A (Not Applicable for bills which died earlier).
*Note: Mary Moe: SD 12 Great Falls, resigned her Senate position. On February 3, 2017, the Cascade County Commissioners unanimously voted to replace Moe with Carlie Boland. This affected the SD 12 vote on SB 91, when the seat was vacant. Dist. Senate % HB HB HB HB HB HJ HJ SB SB SR Score 295 324 454 568 651 9 11 91 264 16 1 Chas Vincent, R - Libby 25 N/A E N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 2 Dee Brown, R - Hungry Horse 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 3 Keith Regier, R - Kalispell 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 4 Mark Blasdel, R - Kalispell 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 5 Bob Keenan, R - Bigfork 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 6 Albert Olszewski, R - Kalispell 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 7 Jennifer Fielder, R – Thompson Falls 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 8 Lea Whitford, D - Cut Bank 60 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A N N/A N N N 9 Llew Jones, R - Conrad 25 N/A E N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 10 Steve Fitzpatrick, R – Great Falls 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 11 Edward Buttrey, R – Great Falls 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 12 Cyndi Carlie Boland, D – Great Falls 75 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A *note N N 13 Brian Hoven, R – Great Falls 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 14 Russel Temple, R - Chester 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 15 Ryan Osmundson, R - Buffalo 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 16 Frank Smith, D – Poplar 40 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A Y Y N 17 Mike Lang, R - Malta 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 18 Steve Hinebauch, R - Wibaux 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 19 Frederick (Eric) Moore, R – Miles City 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 20 Duane Ankney, R - Colstrip 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 21 Jason Small, R – Busby 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 22 Doug Kary, R - Billings 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 23 Roger Webb, R - Billings 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 24 Mary McNally, D - Billings 60 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A Y N N 25 Jen Gross, D - Billings 80 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A N N N 26 Margaret MacDonald, D - Billings 80 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A N N N 27 Cary Smith, R - Billings 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 28 Tom Richmond, R - Billings 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 29 David Howard, R – Park City 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 30 Nels Swandal, R - Wilsall 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 31 Mike Phillips, D - Bozeman 80 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A Y N Y 32 Jedediah Hinkle, R - Bozeman 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 33 JP Pomnichowski, D - Bozeman 80 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A N N N 34 Gordon Vance, R - Belgrade 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 35 Scott Sales, R - Bozeman 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 36 Jeffrey Welborn, R - Dillon 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 37 Jon Sesso, D - Butte 60 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A Y N N 38 Edie McClafferty, D - Butte 80 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A N N N 39 Gene Vuckovich, D - Anaconda 40 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A N N N 40 Terry Gauthier, R - Helena 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 41 Mary Caferro, D - Helena 40 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A N N/A Y N N 42 Jill Cohenour, D - Helena 80 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A N N N 43 Pat Connell, R - Hamilton 0 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y N 44 Fred Thomas, R - Stevensville 25 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A E N/A Y Y Y 45 Dick Barrett, D - Missoula 80 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A N N N 46 Sue Malek, D - Missoula 40 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A Y Y N 47 Daniel Salomon, R - Ronan 20 N/A Y N/A N/A N/A Y N/A Y Y Y 48 Cynthia Wolken, D - Missoula 60 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A Y N N 49 Diane Sands, D - Missoula 40 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A Y Y N 50 Tom Facey, D - Missoula 80 N/A N N/A N/A N/A N N/A N N N Dist. House % HB HB HB HB HB HJ HJ SB SB SR Score 295 324 454 568 651 9 11 91 264 16 1 Steve Gunderson, R - Libby 0 NB Y A Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 2 Mike Cuffe, R - Eureka 11.11 NB Y Y2 N2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 3 Zac Perry, D – Hungry Horse 66.66 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB Y Y N/A 4 Matt Regier, R - Kalispell 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 5 Dave Fern, D - Whitefish 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 6 Carl Glimm, R - Kila 11.11 NB Y Y2 N2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 7 Frank Garner, R - Kalispell 22.22 NB Y Y2 N2 Y2 Y YB Y Y N/A 8 Steve Lavin, R - Kalispell 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 9 Randy Brodehl, R - Kalispell 11.11 NB Y Y2 N2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 10 Mark Noland, R - Bigfork 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 11 Derek Skees, R - Kalispell 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 12 Greg Hertz, R - Polson 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 13 Bob Brown, R – Thompson Falls 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 14 Denley Loge, R – Saint Regis 22.22 NB N Y2 Y2 N2 Y NB Y Y N/A 15 George Kipp III, D – Heart Butte 66.66 A A Y2 N2 N2 N A Y N N/A 16 Susan Webber, D - Browning 88.88 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A 17 Ross Fitzgerald, R - Fairfield 11.11 NB Y N2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 18 Rob Cook, R - Conrad 55.55 YB Y Y2 N2 N2 Y YB Y N N/A 19 Wendy McKamey, R – Great Falls 11.11 NB Y Y2 Y2 N2 Y NB Y Y N/A 20 Fred Anderson, R – Great Falls 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 21 Tom Jacobson, D – Great Falls 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 22 Lola Sheldon-Galloway, R – Great Falls 22.22 YB Y Y2 N2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 23 Bradley Hamlett, D – Cascade 44.44 YB Y Y2 N2 N2 Y YB Y Y N/A 24 Jean Price, D – Great Falls 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 25 Jeremy Trebas, R – Great Falls 11.11 NB Y N2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 26 Casey Schreiner, D – Great Falls 77.77 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 27 James O'Hara, R – Fort Benton 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 28 Jacob Bachmeier, D - Havre 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 29 Dan Bartel, R - Lewistown 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 30 Wylie Galt, R - Martinsdale 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 31 Bridget Smith, D – Wolf Point 55.55 YB Y N2 Y2 N2 N YB Y Y N/A 32 Jonathan Windy Boy, D – Box Elder 66.66 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB Y Y N/A 33 Casey Knudsen, R - Malta 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 34 Austin Knudsen, R - Culbertson 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 35 Scott Staffanson, R - Sidney 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 36 Alan Doane, R - Bloomfield 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 37 Bill Harris, R - Winnett 11.11 NB Y Y2 Y2 N2 Y NB Y Y N/A 38 Kenneth Holmlund, R – Miles City 22.22 NB N N2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 39 Geraldine Custer, R - Forsyth 44.44 YB N N2 Y2 N2 Y NB Y Y N/A 40 Barry Usher, R - Billings 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 41 Rae Peppers, D – Lame Deer 66.66 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB Y Y N/A 42 Sharon Stewart-Peregoy, D – Crow Agency 88.88 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A 43 Peggy Webb, R - Billings 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 44 Dale Mortensen, R - Billings 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 45 Daniel Zolnikov, R - Billings 11.11 YB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 46 Donald Jones, R - Billings 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 47 Kathy Kelker, D - Billings 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 48 Jessica Karjala, D - Billings 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 49 Kelly McCarthy, D - Billings 77.77 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 50 Virginia Court, D - Billings 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 51 Adam Rosendale, R - Billings 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 52 Jimmy Patelis, R - Billings 11.11 YB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 53 Dennis Lenz, R- Billings 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 54 Jeff Essmann, R - Billings 33.33 YB Y Y2 N2 Y2 Y YB Y Y N/A 55 Vince Ricci, R - Laurel 33.33 NB N N2 N2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 56 Sue Vinton, R - Billings 33.33 NB N N2 Y2 N2 Y NB Y Y N/A 57 Forrest Mandeville, R - Columbus 12.50 NB Y Y2 Y2 N2 Y NB Y A N/A 58 Seth Berglee, R - Joliet 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y A Y Y N/A 59 Alan Redfield, R - Livingston 11.11 NB Y N2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 60 Laurie Bishop, D - Livingston 66.66 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB Y Y N/A 61 Jim Hamilton, D - Bozeman 77.77 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 62 Tom Woods, D - Bozeman 88.88 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A 63 Zach Brown, D - Bozeman 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 64 Kerry White, R - Bozeman 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 65 Jon Knokey, R - Bozeman 55.55 YB N Y2 N2 N2 Y YB Y Y N/A 66 Denise Hayman, D - Bozeman 100 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A 67 Tom Burnett, R - Bozeman 11.11 NB Y Y2 N2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 68 Bruce Grubbs, R - Bozeman 25 NB Y Y2 N2 N2 Y NB A Y N/A 69 Walt Sales, R - Manhattan 22.22 NB Y N2 Y2 N2 Y NB Y Y N/A 70 Kelly Flynn, R - Townsend 37.50 NB N N2 Y2 Y2 Y YB Y A N/A 71 Ray Shaw, R - Sheridan 33.33 NB Y N2 Y2 N2 Y YB Y Y N/A 72 Tom Welch, R - Dillon 11.11 NB Y Y2 Y2 N2 Y NB Y Y N/A 73 Jim Keane, D - Butte 77.77 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 74 Amanda Curtis, D - Butte 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 75 Kirk Wagoner, R – Montana City 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 76 Ryan Lynch, D - Butte 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 77 Kathy Swanson, D - Anaconda 100 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A 78 Gordon Pierson, D – Deer Lodge 77.77 YB N N2 N2 N2 Y YB Y N N/A 79 Jenny Eck, D - Helena 100 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A 80 Becky Beard, R - Elliston 33.33 NB N N2 N2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 81 Janet Ellis, D - Helena 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 82 Moffie Funk, D - Helena 77.77 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 83 Kim Abbott, D - Helena 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 84 Mary Ann Dunwell, D - Helena 100 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A 85 Theresa Manzella, R - Hamilton 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 86 Ron Ehli, R - Hamilton 11.11 NB Y Y2 N2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 87 Nancy Ballance, R - Hamilton 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 88 Edward Greef, R - Florence 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 89 Nate McConnell, D - Missoula 100 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A 90 Ellie Hill Smith, D - Missoula 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 91 Bryce Bennett, D - Missoula 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 92 Mike Hopkins, R - Missoula 22.22 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 N YB Y Y N/A 93 John Fleming, D – Saint Ignatius 100 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A 94 Kimberly Dudik, D - Missoula 87.50 YB Y N2 N2 N2 N YB A N N/A 95 Shane Morigeau, D - Missoula 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 96 Adam Hertz, R - Missoula 25 YB Y Y2 N2 Y2 Y A Y Y N/A 97 Brad Tschida, R - Missoula 0 NB Y Y2 Y2 Y2 Y NB Y Y N/A 98 Willis Curdy, D - Missoula 88.88 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB Y N N/A 99 Marilyn Ryan, D - Missoula 100 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A 100 Andrea Olsen, D - Missoula 100 YB N N2 N2 N2 N YB N N N/A
* Montana 2017 Legislative Scorecard bills and positions chosen by Montana Sportsmen Alliance.
* Legislative data compiled from Montana Legislature Look Up Bill Information website. Voting record compiled in accordance with Montana Code Annotated 13-37-131. Any errors are unintentional typographical errors.
* Data compilation and tabulation by Kathryn QannaYahu, Enhancing Montana's Wildlife & Habitat, 406-579-7748, Helena, MT. To report any typographical errors, please email [email protected] with correction.