Tag Archives: Montana

MT Supreme Court Rules To Protect Abortion Access

Montana Public Radio reports: The Montana Supreme Court has solidified protections for abortion access and will allow nurses with advanced degrees to continue performing abortions in the state. The state’s high court ruled in favor of an advanced practice nurse practitioner who challenged a 2005 law restricting which providers can offer abortion services. In an unanimous decision, all seven supreme …

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ND Gov Signs Bill Ordering Outing Of Trans Students

The Associated Press reports: North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum has signed a bill that prohibits public schools and government entities from requiring teachers and employees to refer to transgender people by the pronouns they use, the governor’s office announced Monday. The new law also requires teachers to tell a parent or legal guardian if the student identifies as transgender. …

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Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr Proposes To Her Girlfriend

Pink News reports: Democratic representative and trans trailblazer Zooey Zephyr has proposed to her girlfriend, the independent journalist and LGBTQ+ activist Erin Reed. Reed told PinkNews that the couple had been “side by side through it all for the last several months” and they are “thrilled” to be “a source of happiness for our community”. The past few weeks have …

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GOP Montana Governor Signs Five Anti-Abortion Bills

The Missoulian reports: Gov. Greg Gianforte signed into law five bills aimed at restricting abortion access in Montana on Wednesday, triggering a legal request from Planned Parenthood of Montana later in the day to block one of the bills. “Today we’re protecting the lives of the most vulnerable amongst us — unborn children,” Gianforte, a Republican, told a crowd of …

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MT Rep. Zooey Zephyr Loses Bid To Return To Chamber

The Associated Press reports: Rep. Zooey Zephyr, the transgender state lawmaker silenced after telling Republicans they would have blood on their hands for opposing gender-affirming health care for kids, was barred from returning to the Montana House floor in a Tuesday court ruling that came just hours before the Legislature wrapped up its biennial session. District Court Judge Mike Menahan …

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MT Rep. Zooey Zephyr Gets Her Hallway Bench Back

First, a reminder about yesterday’s evil bitches: Republicans moved to sideline Zephyr further by canceling some meetings of the two committees on which she serves and moving the bills they were to hear to other committees, Democrats said. She spent the first day of her exile last week battling to use a bench in a statehouse hallway. Her key card …

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Hateful Karens Occupy Montana Capitol Hallway Bench So That Trans Lawmaker Is Forced To Work Standing Up

The Associated Press reports: Republicans moved to sideline Zephyr further by canceling some meetings of the two committees on which she serves and moving the bills they were to hear to other committees, Democrats said. She spent the first day of her exile last week battling to use a bench in a statehouse hallway. Her key card to access Capitol …

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Trans Lawmaker Sues Montana After Being Censured

ABC News reports: Montana state legislator Zooey Zephyr is suing the state, House Speaker Matt Regier and Sergeant at Arms for the Montana House of Representatives Bradley Murfitt after being censured by House Republicans. “The recent actions violate my 1st amendment rights, as well as the rights of my 11,000 constituents to representation,” Zephyr said in a tweet Monday. “Montana’s …

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MN Rep: “Two Ounces Is Equivalent To Three Joints”

The Huffington Post reports: A Republican lawmaker in Minnesota argued that “two ounces” of marijuana was the equivalent of “three joints” during remarks as the Minnesota Senate voted Friday on whether to legalize recreational use of cannabis. State Sen. Warren Limmer criticized a number of portions of the bills. “Now I’ve seen some of the videos of DEA raids, some …

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Montana Gov Signs Anti-Trans Bill Despite Son’s Pleas

The Associated Press reports: Montana became the latest state to ban or restrict gender-affirming medical care for transgender kids Friday when its Republican governor signed legislation that exiled transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr told fellow lawmakers would leave “blood” on their hands. Montana is one of at least 15 states with laws to ban such care despite protests from the families …

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VIRAL VIDEO: Montana GOP State Rep Would Rather Have Her Daughter Commit Suicide Than Transition

NBC News reports: A recent comment by a Montana Republican state lawmaker who sponsored legislation to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors has gone viral and drawn backlash online. State Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, R-Billings, suggested during a floor debate that she would rather risk her daughter dying by suicide than allow her to transition. Seekins-Crowe did not say that …

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Son Of MT Gov Lobbies Him Against Anti-LGBTQ Bills

The Montana Free Press reports: David, 32, sat down in the governor’s office on March 27 with a prepared statement about legislation affecting transgender Montanans and the LGBTQ+ community generally, to which David says he belongs. He wanted to talk about Senate Bill 99, a ban on gender-affirming health care for minors; Senate Bill 458, a bill to define sex …

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Montana House Votes To Censure Trans Lawmaker

NPR reports: Republicans, who dominate the Montana House of Representatives, have voted Wednesday to formally punish Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr. Zephyr, who is transgender, has been blocked from speaking since last Tuesday when she told supporters of a bill to ban gender-affirming care for minors that she hoped they would see “blood on [their] hands.” There, she was alluding to …

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Montana House May Vote To Expel Trans Lawmaker

The New York Times reports: Legislators in Montana are expected to vote Wednesday on whether to censure or discipline the state’s only transgender lawmaker, after an escalating standoff over her ability to speak in the House of Representatives led to heated protests and arrests on Monday and the abrupt cancellation of Tuesday’s session. The lawmaker, Representative Zooey Zephyr, shared a …

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Montana Lawmakers Approve Sweeping Ban On TikTok

CBS News reports: Montana became the first state in the nation Friday to pass a bill banning TikTok from operating in the state, a move that’s bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America that many national lawmakers have envisioned. The Montana House voted 54-43 to send the bill to Republican Gov. …

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Republicans Push Rule Change For MT Senate Race

The Hill reports: Republicans in Montana are trying to change the rules for next year’s Senate primary to make it easier to defeat Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and win back the Senate majority. A bill moving through the statehouse in Helena would change the structure of the election from the party primary system currently in place to a jungle primary …

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MT Bill Bans Vaccinated People From Donating Blood

The Daily Montanan reports: A bill to ban donors who have received the COVID-19 vaccination from giving blood will “decimate” blood supply in Montana and leave patients at risk of even death, said opponents of House Bill 645. “Montana’s blood supply could be cut by up to 80%, leading to adverse patient outcomes including unnecessary and unconscionable death,” said senior …

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Man Charged With Death Threats Against Dem Senator

Missoula CBS affiliate reports: A Kalispell man is accused of threatening to kill Montana U.S. Senator Jon Tester. Kevin Patrick Smith, 45, is charged with two counts of “threats to injure and murder a United States Senator,” a felony. Smith pleaded not guilty to those charges in U.S. District Court in Missoula Thursday afternoon. In the indictment, prosecutors say on …

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Dem Montana Sen. Jon Tester To Seek Reelection

CNN reports: Montana Sen. Jon Tester announced Wednesday morning that he will seek reelection in 2024, providing a boost to Democrats’ hopes of retaining the Senate. “It’s official. I’m running for reelection,” Tester tweeted. “Montanans need a fighter that will hold our government accountable and demand Washington stand up for veterans and lower costs for families. I will always fight …

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Montana GOP Ejects Two-Term Former Gov From Party

The Helena Independent reports: Former Republican Gov. Marc Racicot said over the weekend that the Montana Republican Party recently informed him of a resolution voted on and approved by party leadership declaring he is no longer considered a Republican. Racicot was elected governor on the GOP ticket twice in Montana, and also was the chair of the Republican National Committee …

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