CAPITOL MONITOR THE LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN OF THE MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER Volume 22, Number 1 — December 21, 2016 Your “Insider’s Guide” to the Legislature, since 1973 elcome to the first issue of MEIC’s Capitol Monitor for the 2017 It’s Going to Be Quite a Session legislative session. As usual, you he post-election news may induce W mental paralysis for many people can expect to receive high-quality and up-to-date information on the session T concerned about environmental protection and public health. Many are from MEIC. asking: what do we do now? We know We expect that this session will be one that action on climate change will stop of the most challenging in MEIC’s 43-year at the federal level as climate liars take history. We hope that by communicating the helm of government and try to undo promptly and frequently with you—our eight years of progress. Despite the fact members—you will be able to participate that some Montana legislators who will more effectively in our lobbying efforts. be serving in the 2017 legislative session And—no kidding—we need your help. will be buoyed by this anti-science, Our lobbyists cannot do it alone. Protecting anti-government, anti-right-to-know the environment this session will require extremism at the federal level, MEIC everyone’s efforts. So please use the Capitol and all environmentalists must face Monitor and our website (www.meic.org) the challenge head on and continue to fight for clean water, clean air, and clean to become involved. Let’s protect the things energy. Montanans want us to do just that make Montana special. that, and many of Montana’s legislators Legislators need to be told over and and Gov. Steve Bullock need our support over that Montanans want clean air, as they try to work in a bipartisan manner clean water, clean energy, and the right to move Montana forward. to participate in government decision- Montana legislators from all across making. If they don’t hear from you, it the state have already requested well could be that they will only hear from over 2,000 bills. Most of those will never well-heeled, self-interested lobbyists. It’s be introduced, but many are intended your choice. Continued on page 2 A How-to Guide for Engaging During the 2017 Session MEIC Legislative Bill Tracker Capitol Monitor and Blog Calendar of Events MEIC maintains and regularly updates a On MEIC’s website you can find an MEIC and other environmental Legislative Bill Tracker on its website electronic version of Capitol Monitor organizations will hold “lobby days,” (go to www.meic.org/legislature) (go to www.meic.org and look under host legislative socials, and schedule that includes the important legislative “Media Center”), as well as a sign- membership meetings across the proposals that could impact Montana’s up form to receive Capitol Monitor state to provide legislative updates. environment. All of the bills on our bill and other alerts by e-mail. MEIC also MEIC regularly updates its online tracker are categorized by issue, offer maintains a blog (also under “Media events calendar, where you can learn easy-to-understand descriptions, list Center”) that has frequent posts about the details of different events (go to MEIC’s position, and include a tool for environmental and energy issues www.meic.org and look under “Get contacting key legislators. affecting Montana, and will include Involved/Attend an Event”). relevant writings on the 2017 Montana legislative session. to weaken important environmental • sending periodic newsletters LEADERSHIP OF THE protections, for example, so that the updating you on happenings at Smith River mine and new and expanded the Capitol; 65TH LEGISLATURE coal mines can be developed regardless • constantly updating our website Officers of the Senate of their impact on water quality and so you can know day-to-day what President: Scott Sales, R-Bozeman the global climate. Clean energy is a is going on and what you can do; bipartisan issue that lowers electricity President Pro Tempore: Bob Keenan, bills and brings much needed revenue to • working with other organizations R-Bigfork to organize citizen lobby days, not communities across the state. MEIC will Majority Leader: Fred Thomas, work on climate change and encouraging only to teach you how to talk to R-Stevensville the transition away from coal, as well legislators, but directing you to what most needs doing on that Majority Whips: Mark Blasdel, R-Kalispell, as on many other issues such as land Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, use planning, air quality, oil and gas particular day; Cary Smith, R-Billings pollution, protecting constitutional • sending alerts asking for quick Minority Leader: Jon Sesso, D-Butte rights, and much more. action from you, whether it is a MEIC will need the help of all of its telephone call or an e-mail message; Minority Whips: Tom Facey, D-Missoula, members and supporters. We will make JP Pomnichowski, D-Bozeman • letting you know about legislative it easy for you: Officers of the House of hearings you can attend and Representatives testify at (it can feel good to give Speaker: Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson MEIC’s Legislative Roadshow! legislators a piece of your mind once in a while); and Speaker Pro Tempore: Greg Hertz, MEIC’s legislative roadshow is R-Polson coming to a town near you! Plan • making maximum use of both on attending one of our meetings, traditional and social media to Majority Leader: Ron Ehli, and get the latest information on publicize our issues and concerns. R-Hamilton legislative happenings and how you Majority Whips: Seth Berglee, R-Joliet, can make a difference in the 2017 In short, there will be many ways Alan Doane, R-Bloomfield, session! to become involved and help protect Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton, Brad Tschida, R-Missoula Kalispell, January 5th at 6:30 PM Montana’s environment. Please plan on participating. MEIC and the environment The law office of McGarvey, Minority Leader: Jenny Eck, D-Helena need you now, more than ever. Heberling, Sullivan & Lacey, Minority Caucus Chair: Tom Woods, 345 1st Avenue E. D-Bozeman Helena, January 9th at 7:00 PM Minority Whips: Nate McConnell, D- Lewis and Clark Library, 120 S Missoula, Last Chance Gulch Shane Morigeau, D-Missoula, Billings, January 11th at 7:00 PM Attend a Lobby Day! Casey Schreiner, D-Great Falls Billings Public Library, 510 N. Broadway MEIC invites you to join us and other Bozeman, January 18th at 7:30 PM environmental interests at one of our CAPITOL MONITOR Bozeman Public Library, 626 E Citizen Lobby Days. We will help guide Main Street you through the steps you need to talk Capitol Monitor is a publication of the Montana Environmental Information Great Falls, January 24th at 6:30 PM effectively to your legislators about Center designed to keep our members Great Falls Public Library, 301 issues that matter to you. Please sign up informed about environmental issues 2nd Avenue N. for a citizen lobby day and let us help you at the Montana legislature. Missoula, January 31st at 7:00 PM protect the environment. Plan to attend MEIC President: Robert Gentry Missoula Public Library, 301 E one or all. The first one will be held on MEIC Executive Director: James Jensen Main Street January 26th. Save this Newsletter P.O. Box 1184, Helena, MT 59624 While the information in this newsletter will all be available on our web site Phone (406)443-2520 (www.meic.org) it will not all be repeated in future issues. Please put this issue FAX (406)443-2507 in some prominent place on your refrigerator or in your “TO DO” pile, so that [email protected] u www.meic.org you can refer to it in the future. 2 Capitol Monitor ~ December 21, 2016 CAPITOL MONITOR 2017 Senate Committees* 2017 House Committees* NATURAL RESOURCES Terry Gauthier (R-Helena) NATURAL RESOURCES LOCAL GOVERNMENT Theresa Manzella MWF, 3 pm, Room 303 Brian Hoven (R-Great Falls) MWF, 3 pm, Room 172 Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 172 (R-Hamilton) Chair: Chas Vincent (R-Libby) Margie MacDonald (D-Billings) Chair: Kerry White Chair: Edward Greef Nate McConnell (D-Missoula) Vice Chair: Jeffrey Welborn Jon Sesso (D-Butte) (R-Bozeman) (R-Florence) Shane Morigeau (D-Missoula) (R-Dillon) Secretary: Jamie Wilson, Vice Chair: Theresa Manzella Vice Chair: Forrest Dale Mortensen (R-Billings) Vice Chair: Jill Cohenour (406) 444-7363 (R-Hamilton) Mandeville (R-Columbus) Zac Perry (D-Bozeman) (D-East Helena) Vice Chair: Zach Brown Vice Chair: Kathy Swanson Matt Regier (R-Kalispell) JUDICIARY Lola Sheldon-Galloway Duane Ankney (R-Colstrip) M-F, 8 am, Room 303 (D-Bozeman) (D-Anaconda) (R-Great Falls) Dick Barrett (D-Missoula) Chair: Keith Regier (R-Kalispell) Kim Abbott (D-Helena) Kim Abbott (D-Missoula) Barry Usher (R-Billings) Pat Connell (R-Hamilton) Vice Chair: Jennifer Fielder Bob Brown (R-Thompson Falls) Laurie Bishop (D-Livingston) Kirk Wagoner (R-Montana Jennifer Fielder (R-Thompson (R-Thompson Falls) Virginia Court (D-Billings) Amanda Curtis (D-Butte) City) Falls) Vice Chair: Diane Sands Willis Curdy (D-Missoula) Geraldine Custer (R-Forsyth) Secretary: Sara Fleming, Jedediah Hinkle (R-Belgrade) (D-Missoula) Ross Fitzgerald (R-Fairfield) Mary Ann Dunwell (D-Helena) (406) 444-4709 Mary McNally (D-Billings) Jen Gross (D-Billings) John Fleming (D-St. Ignatius) Dave Fern (D-Whitefish) Mike Phillips (D-Bozeman) Kelly Flynn (R-Townsend) Ross Fitzgerald (R-Fairfield) Steve Hinebauch (R-Wibaux) FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PARKS JP Pomnichowski (D-Bozeman) Jedediah Hinkle (R-Bozeman) Wylie Galt (R-Martinsdale) Frank Garner (R-Kalispell) Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 152 Tom Richmond (R-Billings)