MONTANA LEGISLATIVE 2007 SCORECARD Support Conservation Politics With Your Gift Montana Conservation Voters’ mission is to elect conservation candidates, hold elected officials accountable and educate and activate voters on a wide range of conservation and environmental issues. This scorecard is central to that mission. By providing concrete information on how your legislator voted on conservation bills, MCV helps you choose whom to sup- port in upcoming elections and whom to hold accountable. MCV is a grassroots organization – which means we need you! Please consider becoming a member of Montana Con- servation Voters or increasing your contribution amount to help support the publication and distribution of this scorecard. Membership in MCV brings many benefits – check them out at www.mtvoters.org. Please read this scorecard and then take action. Talk to your neighbors, friends and family about how the legislature af- fects Montana’s quality of life – our clean air and water, open spaces, wildlife and public health. Become a member of MCV and ask them to do the same. Make your voice heard and your vote count! PO Box 63 NON-PROFIT Billings, MT 59103 US POSTAGE PAID [email protected] BILLINGS, MT www.mtvoters.org PERMIT #63 www.mtvoters.org [email protected] (SNAPSHOT CONT.) Though citizens don’t often sue over agency MEPA decisions (lawsuits under MEPA have been filed only 39 times out of over 39,000 state actions that have been reviewed under MEPA in 36 years), Lange still erupted with an- gry rhetoric at the close of a hearing on his bill. “I’m sick and tired of people that are paid to stand up here and go to court and obstruct facilities just because they don’t like it,” he said. In sharp contrast to Sales and Lange, House Minority Leader John Parker (D-Great Falls) and Whip Dave McAlpin (D-Mis- June 2007 www.mtvoters.org soula) consulted frequently with conservation leaders and pursued a thoughtful agenda in spite of the divided nature of Montana Conservation Voters is the nonpar- the house. Reps. Hamilton and Reinhart donated hair samples to WVE tisan political voice of Montana’s conserva- Know the Score to test for mercury contamination among state legislators. tion and environmental community. MCV Finally, the Native American caucus hosted several conser- Representative HD City % +/- is dedicated to informing voters of the votes This scorecard shows you how legislators voted on key environmen- vation advocates as speakers in their weekly meetings, and Hawk, Ray (R) 90 Florence 15% and actions of elected officials - from City tal bills. In consultation with the other groups working on legisla- helped forge partnerships within our communities. Hiner, Cynthia (D) 85 Deer Lodge -15% Hall to Congress - affecting clean water and tion, MCV used the following criteria for featured scorecard votes: Small-Eastman, Veronica (D) 42 Lodge Grass -15% air, fish and wildlife, public health, open This list is not exhaustive, and MCV happily recognizes that Barrett, Debby (R) 72 Dillon -17% space, and citizen participation in govern- • The vote is on a bill deemed important to MCV members; many acts of stewardship bloomed throughout the session. Butcher, Ed (R) 29 Winifred -17% ment. Through its affiliated Political Action • The votes reflect a broad cross-section of issues deemed impor- Hendrick, Gordon (R) 14 Superior -17% tant by the groups lobbying for conservation and the environ- Committee, MCV supports candidates who Legislature 2007 2005 2003 2001 1999 Lange, Michael (R) 55 Billings -17% will fight for Montana’s conservation values. ment in Helena; Score Average 53% 60% 47% 42% 43% Malcolm, Bruce (R) 61 Emigrant -17% • The vote shows a clear choice by legislators for or against Democrat Score Average 91% 96% 85% 85% 83% McGillvray, Tom (R) 50 Billings -17% conservation aims. The scorecard doesn’t include votes where Republican Score Average 15% 21% 8% 13% 17% Ripley, Rick (R) 17 Wolf Creek -17% there was no significant lobbying on one side or the other. Board of Directors Sonju, Jon (R) 07 Kalispell -17% Votes that were nearly unanimous were excluded because they House 2007 2005 2003 2001 1999 Keane, Jim (D) 75 Butte -21% lack information about how legislators voted when faced with a Score Average 50% 59% 44% 44% 43% Co-Chairpersons....................Virginia Court, Billings Arntzen, Elsie (R) 53 Billings -25% choice to protect the environment; Democrat Score Average 92% 97% 88% 89% 83% David Tyler, Belgrade Heinert, Ralph (R) 01 Libby -25% • The votes used in determining the scores are on actual legisla- Republican Score Average 9% 22% 5% 12% 15% Secretary.....................................John Tubbs, Helena Lambert, Carol (R) 39 Broadus -25% Treasurer...................................Susan How, Kalispell tion and procedural votes on priorities. MacLaren, Gary (R) 89 Victor -25% Directors..................................Dick Barrett, Missoula Senate 2007 2005 2003 2001 1999 Taylor, Janna (R) 11 Dayton -25% Ben Graybill, Great Falls While the scorecard is a reliable indicator of where legislators stand Score Average 59% 60% 40% 39% 42% Mary Anne Guggenheim, Helena on important conservation issues, it doesn’t give enough credit to Democrat Score Average 89% 94% 78% 76% 82% Klock, Harry (R) 83 Harlowton -28% Jason Keily, Missoula legislators who sponsor bills or speak on the House and Senate Republican Score Average 26% 19% 13% 15% 20% Groesbeck, George (D) 74 Butte -30% Laura Stafford, Helena floor and in committees, or those who work behind the scenes Milburn, Mike (R) 19 Cascade -33% Valerie Taliman, Helena to pass good legislation and kill bad bills. Look at the sponsors of County Comparison (House Averages) Stahl, Wayne (R) 35 Saco -34% Chapter Representatives: the measures supported by MCV for a picture of the conserva- County 2007 2005 2003 2001 1999 Flathead....................................Ryan Busse, Kalispell tion champions in the legislature. Likewise, a vote tally does not Yellowstone 40% 55% 42% 43% 42% Senator SD City % +/- Gallatin-Park..........................Brad Webb, Bozeman exclusively show the actions of legislators who worked to weaken Missoula 82% 86% 68% 78% 71% Tash, Bill (R) 36 Dillon 37% Yellowstone........................Aaron Browning, Billings Montana’s conservation laws or set us back. Flathead 27% 38% 16% 12% 20% Laible, Rick (R) 44 Darby 35% Cascade 71% 83% 61% 57% 58% Lewis, Dave (R) 42 Helena 30% Votes on bills in key committees (pages 17-18) provide more insight Gallatin 52% 45% 41% 40% 39% Steinbeisser, Donald (R) 19 Sidney 27% Staff into legislators’ voting patterns, illustrating how some voted on bills Lewis and Clark 59% 66% 55% 44% 49% Brueggeman, John (R) 06 Polson 20% that never made it to a floor vote because they were killed in com- Ravalli 16% 19% 9% 25% 25% Black, Jerry (R) 14 Shelby 19% Executive Director.............Theresa Keaveny, Billings mittee. Committee votes aren’t counted in legislators’ scores. Silver Bow 71% 88% 61% 72% 51% Bales, Keith (R) 20 Otter 18% Program Director.................Sarah Cobler, Missoula McGee, Daniel (R) 29 Laurel 18% Communications Director............David Ellenberger, MCV serves a unique purpose as the political arm of the envi- County Comparison (Senate Averages) Cobb, John (R) 09 Augusta 14% Bozeman ronmental and conservation community. Advocating on behalf County 2007 2005 2003 2001 1999 Esp, John (R) 31 Big Timber 10% Database Administrator.........Eric Halstvedt, Billings of priorities set by the wider conservation community are MCV Yellowstone 48% 61% 28% 27% 27% Story, Robert (R) 30 Park City 10% Fundraising Coordinator......Anna Williams, Billings legislative lobbyists Sarah Cobler and Jeanne Marie Souvigney. To Missoula 92% 92% 62% 62% 69% Larson, Lane (D) 22 Billings -10% Community Organizers..............Amy Stix, Bozeman help achieve conservation victories with our friends, MCV phoned Flathead 34% 30% 6% 10% 27% Schmidt, Trudi (D) 11 Great Falls -10% Ross Prosperi, Missoula thousands of voters and conducted outreach by mail, email, and Cascade 73% 85% 71% 61% 64% Peterson, Jim (R) 15 Buffalo -16% Administrative Assistant.......Joan Mickelson, Billings door canvass. MCV produced the weekly Hot List for legislators, Gallatin 59% 60% 60% 36% 44% Pease, Gerald (D) 21 Lodge Grass -18% convened legislative meetings, and organized regular meetings with Lewis and Clark 69% 57% 58% 50% 45% Stapleton, Corey (R) 27 Billings -18% environmental lobbyists. When it’s all said and done, with your Ravalli 53% 33% 0% 7% 14% Tropila, Joe (D) 13 Great Falls -27% help, MCV holds legislators accountable for their votes. Silver Bow 97% 94% 33% 42% 40% Ryan, Don (D) 10 Great Falls -36% page 1 Montana Conservation Voters • www.mtvoters.org Montana Conservation Voters • www.mtvoters.org page 22 church groups came from across the state to testify in support of clean Dear Conservation Voter, energy, energy efficiency and carbon The 60th Montana Legislative Session was another reminder capture. that voters can make a difference in conservation and en- vironmental policy. Citizens like you who called, wrote and Unfortunately, some of the best bills visited legislators influenced the outcome of this session on advanced by conservation groups behalf of the environment. After almost two decades of failed to pass. The petroleum indus- legislative attacks on Montana’s cornerstone environmental try persuaded lawmakers to reject measures that would laws, this legislature, like the 2005 session, defeated all the have helped grow a fledgling Montana biodiesel industry bills opposed by the conservation community save one, and ensure affordable, renewable fuel and a reduction in which was vetoed by Governor Schweitzer. transportation-related global warming pollution. Farmers and ranchers still face threats from irresponsible and poorly- Lest you think that stopping the bad stuff was our greatest regulated coal bed methane development. Landowners accomplishment, there’s more to the story. This legislature face more flooding and water quality degradation from the passed good bills promoting energy conservation and re- development pressures too close to Montana’s rivers and newables, protection of private property, new requirements big streams.