Thanks for hanging in there with us!
This week, we are combatting the worst of the worst, but we’ve made it as easy as possible. Each of these items has a precomposed message on our bill tracker that you can edit to your liking. One click, and you can send multiple emails at a time.
One of the best ways to comment on legislation is through a phone call. Call 406-444-4800 to leave a message for the committee with your name, location, and stance.
1. The worst bill of the session just got introduced. It’s going to cost you a FORTUNE!
SB 379 is a monsterously expensive anti-consumer bill that will raise electricity rates and hobble the Public Service Commission. It’s a complex bill, so here’s a clip of Anne Hedges explaining it on last week’s legislative update meeting. Please reach out to her with any questions: ahedges@meic.org.
Send a message to the Senate Energy committee on our website.
Spread the word about this one, folks. Post about it online using #BillionDollarBailout. This bill is heartless and will be devastating for consumers.
2. Upcoming hearings that could use your voice:
Tuesday
HB 407: Prohibit local governments from regulating food packaging, such as Styrofoam
MEIC position: Oppose
Hearing: March 23, 2021 at 9 am
Take action:Send a message to the committee and write a letter to the editor on our website.
Wednesday
HB 527: Eliminate the ability to form citizen-initiated zoning (CIZ) districts
MEIC position: Oppose
Hearing: March 24 at 3 pm
Take action:
- Register to testify by Tuesday at noon
- Send a message to the committee and write a letter to the editor on our website.
Thursday
HB 273: Overturn citizens’ initiative. Eliminates public vote and safeguards on new nuclear facility development
MEIC position: Oppose
Hearing: March 25, 2021 at 3 pm
Take action:
- Register to testify by Wednesday at noon
- Send a message to the committee and write a letter to the editor on our website.
3. Contact committees on these outstanding bills:
Stand up for renewables in Montana:
Three bills will make the path to renewable energy in Montana much steeper. We oppose the following bills:
- SB 237 – awaiting vote in House Energy
- SB 201 – awaiting vote in House Energy
- HB 576 – awaiting vote in Senate Energy
Click here to send messages about all three of these bills at one time.
Say NO to government-sanctioned water pollution:
A couple of bad water bills threaten to increase pollution in our waterways and threaten human and wildlife health. We oppose:
- SB 164 – awaiting vote in House Natural Resources
- SB 165 – awaiting vote in House Natural Resources
Click here to send messages about both of these bills at one time.
Keep local control on sustainability issues:
Why is the Legislature intent on removing local control? HB 407 would make it so local government can’t regulate food packaging like plastic or Styrofoam. 257 would hamstring local government from taking direct action to fight climate change. We oppose:
- HB 407 – awaiting vote in Senate Business
- SB 257 – awaiting vote in House Taxation
Click here to send messages about both of these bills at one time.
Fossil fuel bills move Montana in the wrong direction:
The age of coal is over, and these bills do not reflect that reality. Instead, they perpetuate and increase NorthWestern Energy’s coal chokehold on the State. We oppose:
- SB 328 – awaiting vote in House Natural Resources
- SB 84 – awaiting vote in House Energy
- SB 266 – awaiting vote in House Energy
Click here to send messages about all three of these bills at one time.
Oil and gas interests threaten citizen-guided development:
Rural communities don’t have many tools to protect their neighborhoods from damaging oil and gas development. These bills would empower oil and gas development at the cost of citizen initiated zoning. We oppose:
- HB 527 – awaiting vote in Senate Local Government
- HB 498 – awaiting vote in Senate Natural Resources
Click here to send messages about both of these bills at one time.
Gravel pit bills silence neighborhood voices and threaten sage grouse:
Gravel pits have far-reaching implications, and these bills strip protections for public input and mitigation for impacts to sage grouse leks. We oppose:
- HB 599 – awaiting vote in Senate Natural Resources
- SB 284 – awaiting vote in House Natural Resources
Click here to send messages about both of these bills at one time.
NEW: Down to Earth online
Down to Earth, our quarterly member publication, is now online! Visit our website to click through a digital version of the magazine, which features articles on legislative issues, victories, staff changes, and a note from our new Executive Director.
Join MEIC to be automatically added to our publication mailing list (physical and/or digital copies).
