MHRN 2023 LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY, WEEK 10

We’re halfway through the 2023 Legislative Session! This is an important time to look at successes and struggles to help us focus our efforts and make the greatest impact in the remainder of the session. As legislators get settled in and hearings are scheduled, we think this is a perfect time for you to send letters to the editor about a bill or an issue that you are passionate about. Calls and emails are also fantastic, and we’re grateful to everyone who has been sending messages to your legislators!

This week is a great time to summon some courage and write a letter to the editor. We’ve provided some draft emails below that you can use, and this link has contact information for local papers. Please remember that the email suggestions below need to be rewritten and personalized, so they reflect your voice.  

If you have questions or need more information for your letter to the editor, please reach out to [email protected] , and we will get back to you quickly.

Tips on writing letters to the editor: 

• Keep it short! Most newspapers restrict letters to the editor to 300 words, so it’s good to be brief.

• Be positive. Reject divisiveness and remind people of the values we have in common, like equality, kindness, and justice,

• Accountability is great! If you don’t like how your legislator is voting, it’s fine to tell them why their actions don’t represent you.

• Remind legislators and your community that bills that they’re considering impact real people.

KEEP READING FOR IDEAS YOU CAN USE FOR YOUR LETTER TO THE EDITOR!

LGBTQ+ Rights

Here are sample letters to the editor you can use as a reference. Please do NOT copy and paste these. It is important that you adapt and send your own unique message! 

Option 1 

As Montanans are struggling with huge problems like workforce housing, elder care facility closings, and worker shortages, legislators are choosing to waste their time on drag show bans, book censorship, attacks on transgender youth, and other unnecessary issues. There’s no reason for legislators to interfere with the privacy and First Amendment rights of people who want to live their lives in peace. I support my LGBTQ+ community members and reject any legislation that prevents them from enjoying the freedom to live their authentic lives.  

Option 2 

LGBTQ+ people belong in Montana. Transgender youth belong in Montana. Drag performers belong in Montana. I oppose drag show bans, book censorship, and healthcare bans because I believe that everyone has the right to be their authentic selves, fall in love, find a great job, and live in decent housing. Let’s choose love and understanding over discrimination by rejecting anti-LGBTQ+ bills that are going through the Montana Legislature.  

If you would like to speak to a specific bill, here is a list of the bills attacking LGBTQ+ rights that we’re watching:

• SB 99 – ban on healthcare for transgender and nonbinary youth

• HB 234 – attempt to classify books as “obscene” and punish school librarians for having them in school libraries

• HB 303 – allow medical providers and institutions to discriminate against patients without consequences

• HB 359 – ban on drag shows

• HB 361 – free pass for bullies to deadname and misgender fellow students

• SB 458 – a 61-page bill that attempts to erase the existence of transgender, nonbinary and Two Spirit people, eliminate marriage equality, force trans and nonbinary people to misgender themselves on identity documents, and much more. 

Indigenous Sovereignty

We’re relieved that most Indigenous sovereignty bills have had overwhelming support from legislators.

Sample letter: 

The missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIW/MMIP) crisis in Montana needs to be taken seriously by law enforcement entities. I support two bills that create better training, funding, and support for efforts to locate MMIP quickly.  HB 18 will establish more training and a grant fund, and HB 163 extends the MMIP task force until 2025. In this time of divisiveness, it is wonderful to see legislators agree to make Montana safer for Indigenous people.  

Here’s a list of bills that will have hearings and votes soon:

• HB 18 – establishes a training program and grant fund for missing people 

• HB 163 – extends the MMIP task force for two more years 

• HB 317 – Montana Indian Child Welfare Act 

• SJ 6 – recognizes the terrible history of Indian boarding schools in Montana

• HB 287 – helps preserve Indigenous languages

• HB 338 – Indian Education for All Act ensures that the requirements to teach public school students about the past and present of sovereign Tribal nations.  

Defending Democracy 

Several bills attacking the nonpartisan, independent Montana Supreme Court have failed, but we’re keeping an eye on some potential amendments that could threaten voting rights and election processes.

Sample letter: 

The Montana Constitution is a powerful document that has guided our decisions for more than 50 years. Montanans value their privacy, and our Constitution offers some of the strongest privacy protections in the entire country. Instead of honoring this legacy of freedom and equality, Montana legislators are trying to erode our rights to a clean and healthful environment, free and fair elections, Indian Education for All, an independent judiciary, and more. There’s no reason to abandon this document and our rights. 

Anti-democracy bills still active: 

• SB 222 – would severely limit access to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) trainings for state employees.

• HB 405 – a constitutional amendment that would let citizens convene grand juries to go after perceived enemies. 

Reproductive Rights

Anti-choice legislators have been pushing hard to outlaw abortion in Montana using misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric to misrepresent abortion care.

Sample letter: 

Everyone has the right to make personal medical decisions with family members and a healthcare provider they trust. Bills attempting to ban abortion and destroy our right to privacy in the Montana Constitution will result in lasting harm to individuals, families, businesses, and communities. The people who are most qualified to make choices about healthcare are not legislators. We should all oppose government interference in private medical decisions. 

Anti-choice bills still active: 

• HB 213 – attempts to establish fetal personhood

• HB 625 – a repeat of LR-131, which was soundly defeated by Montana voters

• HB 575 – a forced birth bill which does not allow for abortion in the case of rape or incest and attempts to make providing an abortion a felony charge

• HB 721 – sensationalizes and attempts to ban abortion procedures that are needed in emergency situations

• HB 786 – creates unnecessary bureaucracy and government interference related to medication abortion 

If you have questions or need help with talking points, please reach out to us at [email protected]!