Dear Editor: SB44s's Failed Veto Override - A Sickening Display of Political Theater

Dear Editor,

SB 442's failed veto override was a sickening display of political theater.

Given today's political climate, it's not often that members of our Montana Legislature show overwhelming, bipartisan support for a piece of legislation. SB 442 was that special unicorn that brought Democrats and Republicans from across Montana together to champion a few things we can all agree on: allocating marijuana tax revenue to support our veterans, maintain roads, and increase access to our public lands.

According to data from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Division, SB 442 would have invested $16.6 million in fixing rural roads in every Montana county, $16.7 million in wildlife and public lands conservation, $5.7 million in behavioral health services, and $2.4 million in improving veterans' services.

Last year, 130 of 150 lawmakers supported SB 442, sponsored by Republican Senator Mike Lang of Malta. But in the final minutes of the 2023 Legislature, Governor Gianforte vetoed it without giving a good reason. He vetoed it even though the bill had broad support from Montanans, including county commissioners, veterans, and conservation and public lands advocates.

After months in legal limbo, the Supreme Court ruled the governor's last-minute veto was unconstitutional and told Gianforte and Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen to take the appropriate steps to allow the Legislature to override the veto.

But last week, Republican legislators, under the direction of Greg Gianforte, voted to kill SB 442 forever. That's right. Though most legislators supported this bill last year, many were told to change their minds this year, and they did. Dozens of Republican leaders succumbed to playing politics and partisan flip-flopping in a truly sickening display of political theater.

And for what?

Could it be to show support for our increasingly unpopular governor during a critical election year-albeit at the expense of thousands of Montanans? Perhaps. It certainly wasn't to help Montana's veterans, hunters, anglers, campers, or county taxpayers.

In hindsight, some might argue the writing was on the wall from the start.

It appears Gianforte and the complicit Jacobsen were hell-bent on killing this wildly popular bill that would have benefited countless Montanans insofar as they ignored their constitutional responsibilities enshrined in the Montana Constitution.

Consequently, a total of sixty Republican legislators flip-flopped their votes and chose partisan politics over their constituents.

One of these lawmakers might represent YOU. If so, maybe it's time for an accountability gut check. Who are these leaders actually representing? You or Governor Gianforte?

SHEILA HOGAN

Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party