Budget defines first week of Montana Legislature

Montana's 2017 Legislature has begun to tackle a wide swath of issues, from public safety to infrastructure, from education to agriculture. But as the first of many bills were read in committee rooms around the Capitol last week, it became clear that everything this time around would focus on the budget.

During a Republican caucus Tuesday, House Speaker Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson, told fellow party members the challenges the entire Legislature faces in the coming months would be daunting.

"There's going to be a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth, but we know what needs to be done," Knu...