[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6317109,"mediaKeyId","2375016-7554de0990c424863c03fb75185177e4","parentId",2375016,"title","Committee hears bill to allow state jurisdiction over juvenile cases on some military lands","audioSeconds",574,"startMs",7474000,"endMs",8048000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2375016-7554de0990c424863c03fb75185177e4&start=7474&end=8048","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2375016-7554de0990c424863c03fb75185177e4/thumbnail_7474000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6317109/Montana/Committee-hears-bill-to-allow-state-jurisdiction-over-juvenile-cases-on-some-military-lands","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6317109-a6c6a10f12b0c8bd07e138c892902796/orig.mp4?Expires=1773266542&Signature=Xca8zSW3juMGj7-PrNucBPdHv1cEC-lHa4I3xy-Nkvp3EW5BF1TAcp16~JIAMS21tYMta4EL96D4Pa2TA0B-AwCVKfRpFeho3BIZQeJN3t-I-S5PHSH6AACFPD31vvwhPj9yVGJHc3DjjcRwR6AxuFsSX~EHdQ6M2z8-k9nwb2XQkrg0LKrPQHtEQLT4sfNzV1o9pnZaZn5DY92vCzhePCdQDKFiqvFGM5diYCbEkdHtJWH-FoZT5Q6YwwV4AoNAKNeJMWvD0g765M6GR~eIbsM9a8CBxmCUDTE~8LxmFZzV~vEdNjLKV6HOkmMsyQt2cF~dIPyUUlV1nd8eDnvPEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-02-21T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Ed Buttry opened the hearing on House Bill 496, which would add military installations to Montana law that permits the state to accept retrocession of federal jurisdiction for particular parcels.

“Retrocession of jurisdiction occurs when the United States returns all or part of the jurisdiction previously ceded to it by a state, such as Montana,” Representative Ed Buttry said, explaining that exclusive federal jurisdiction can complicate handling juvenile offenses that occur on federal military lands.

Renee Dorval, deputy director for the Department of Military Affairs, testified in support, saying the Montana National Guard has parcels in exclusive federal jurisdiction and that adding military to MCA 2‑1‑215 and 2‑1‑216 would “give the National Guard and the state flexibility if the federal government decides to retrocede its jurisdiction and ultimately will speed up the retrocession process.”

Tammy Pro (testifying remotely) described a past example at Fort Lewis, Washington, where an assault could not be prosecuted locally because the installation had exclusive federal jurisdiction; she said statute is needed rather than a memorandum of understanding to make retrocession enforceable by law.

Lieutenant Colonel Todd Wayne, a lawyer with the Montana National Guard, answered committee questions about the inventory of properties. He said the Guard has two parcels at Fort Harrison that remain under exclusive federal jurisdiction — the High Rise Barracks (primary enlisted housing) and an RV park — and otherwise most armories are state property or under concurrent jurisdiction.

Committee members asked about scope and process; witnesses said the federal government would request retrocession for specified parcels, and the governor would have the option to accept. Representative Buttry emphasized the bill simply provides a statutory mechanism so a future retrocession request would not require separate enabling legislation.

Supporters said the change would let county prosecutors handle cases where state juvenile courts are a better venue and allow quicker transfers of jurisdiction when the federal government is willing to return it. No opponents or public opposition was recorded in the hearing transcript. Representative Buttry closed the hearing. The transcript does not show a committee vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House State Administration Feb 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Ed Buttry told the committee House Bill 496 would let the state accept retrocession of federal jurisdiction for military installations so state juvenile courts could handle certain cases occurring on those lands.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MT, Montana","taxId",77694,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6317113,"Committee considers electronic ballot return for voters with disabilities",2152,3162000,5314000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2375016-7554de0990c424863c03fb75185177e4&start=3162&end=5314","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2375016-7554de0990c424863c03fb75185177e4/thumbnail_3162000.jpg","/articles/6317113/Montana/Committee-considers-electronic-ballot-return-for-voters-with-disabilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6317113-57b9e77313f2c99ec4db3eb398ee3325/orig.mp4?Expires=1773266542&Signature=aBvCsQpshgm~o7ST8JmannqicMnz9skss8uDiEcmvrNRRHixU5B-BzOsD0skEnrc7IoPqa8JsIYXXOyh3o0YfyoGa94CymKm~hsVvjg7UDAAOWrG6oDs1c9UbLWHh8jsIdygahxBVvSDfB8NXtBLYSCnn72ol4uM04aFX-vSOoxzdTHGWkfYr29xNkrksyvTpBNP-tjpkjvgh7-1-mJnYtXA5zfLO2av-JvL18UZl8ngPk-UPerdkP-vZ8DAwj99WDirmeePnXiRm1QFAzSPSMW-e-hf8rEeoGNbjC84VuZxq1o7qcOdnSM1X6oDepHOpYMmbb8XCK1YVjgZTP6K6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Julie Darling opened the hearing on House Bill 488, describing the bill as a narrow change to expand an existing electronic ballot request system so that eligible voters with disabilities can electronically return completed absentee ballots without needing to print, sign and mail a paper envelope.

“Currently disabled voters can request a ballot electronically, but in order to return it, they have to print and sign it,” Representative Julie Darling said, describing the privacy and mobility barriers that can prevent some Montanans from voting independently.

Advocates and disability organizations provided several firsthand accounts. Jacob Krysovich of the National Federation of the Blind of Montana said traveling to a polling place can take him two hours by transit and that the current absentee‑return requirement can force voters to rely on others to sign or deliver ballots, compromising ballot secrecy. “I should have the same rights as every other Montanan to vote, confidently and independently,” he said.

Other proponents included Ability Montana, Summit Independent Living, Disability Rights Montana and Secure Democracy. Jim Marks, who testified about previous use of accessible voting machines and earlier electronic systems, said the current electronic request system gets voters “part of the way there, but not all the way,” and praised the bill to complete the process.

Elections officials also appeared in support. Connor Fitzpatrick, Lewis and Clark County elections supervisor, said the underlying electronic ballot request system is already in place and comparable to the UOCAVA (military/overseas) process; the bill would align the return process for voters with disabilities with that existing workflow.

Committee members asked about safeguards and eligibility. Witnesses said applicants must affirm they meet the statutory definition of a voter with a disability; Plattenberg (Montana Association of Clerk and Recorders) said election administrators will maintain logs and that large‑scale abuse has not materialized in states using similar systems. Witnesses pointed to federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requirements and the UOCAVA process as comparable precedents.

Representative Darling closed by urging a do‑pass, saying the change would give voters with disabilities the same private, independent voting experience available to other groups already using electronic return (for example, some overseas voters). No committee vote or final disposition was recorded in the session transcript.

The hearing record included multiple disability‑led organizations and county election officials who emphasized the accessibility, privacy and modest fiscal impacts of the proposed change.","Representative Julie Darling asked the committee to allow electronic return of absentee ballots for voters with disabilities, arguing the change would extend privacy and independence for voters who currently must print, sign and mail paper ballots.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6317118,"Lawmakers hear split testimony on bill to make local elections partisan",2381,392000,2773000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2375016-7554de0990c424863c03fb75185177e4&start=392&end=2773","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2375016-7554de0990c424863c03fb75185177e4/thumbnail_392000.jpg","/articles/6317118/Montana/Lawmakers-hear-split-testimony-on-bill-to-make-local-elections-partisan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6317118-1c1e672d8659aabfb18c7b78d379e3b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1773266542&Signature=Ijv8kNgUQnBcQjQIVcetI~~51ey7PsLqDUDFVmE3~PWNCJmSuTE-R5DP1KeaI9GHtIod7hNxkWVPOL0IsEjVY1shggl15RrqryPnZcxf28yTfK-AM4LoNUFee7gOYPQRwnjulEeM-iChWBKuufWMPrzXKTpcsKLLar8Z4vOMep-BHy7vZqXb1NR-SDFolcs7QOdUpomzbvmN9NdttHQl9Sn3htyoQ-Cj-HqOp3pRpgenj1QhYCHMJzstrlyuA11VeyFCUq9bCzs6kVMyb~VnkEJosgup6yWHYFNv1WE~aVVJFFb-5775OtEDBgYnDt-x1ragJXfJ7pIYCYLTxBOyTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Lucas Schubert opened the hearing on House Bill 482, saying the measure would make local government elections partisan.

“It's just making it so that local government elections are partisan,” Representative Lucas Schubert said, introducing the bill as a transparency measure so voters would “generally understand the ideological profile of a specific candidate.”

The committee heard a mix of testimony. Proponents argued parties increase participation and give voters information; Lisa Bennett, testifying remotely, said local races “lack media coverage” and that parties help mobilize turnout and hold officials to platforms.

Opponents included tribal representatives, county commissioners, municipal lawyers and county election officials who urged the committee to respect local choices. Patchy Yawaki, representing tribal communities, asked the committee to “post HB 482 with a do not pass,” arguing the proposal would “inject partisan politics into our local municipal and county … elections” and would override local decision making.

Lewis and Clark County officials and county election staff said voters in their county already decided the question. Candace Payne, a Lewis and Clark County commissioner, noted voters approved nonpartisan elections in 2019 by about 56% to 44% and urged lawmakers to “let the voters in Lewis and Clark County who have voted in favor of doing it this way” keep that choice. Connor Fitzpatrick, Lewis and Clark County elections supervisor, said he was appearing for the elections office and urged the committee to “respect the vote of the voters of our county.”

Municipal and county leaders said nonpartisan ballots facilitate local cooperation on day‑to‑day services. Neil Cardwell, city manager for Belgrade, said the “work of local government isn't about party politics. It's about making sure that roads are plowed, the water is clean, and that when you flush your toilet, everything goes where it's supposed to go.” Debbie Randolph, speaking for MAKO (the Montana Association of Counties), said county commissioners “don't care about politics in the day to day operation of county government.”

Thomas Joden, legal services director for the Montana League of Cities and Towns, told the committee the league opposed the bill, saying local officials and voters should decide whether elections are partisan or nonpartisan. Several speakers emphasized that Montana law currently allows local governments and voters to choose and that counties can put the question on a local ballot.

Committee members questioned the sponsor about the First Amendment and whether a nonpartisan filing requirement restricts candidates’ freedom of association. Representative Schubert said his view is that “people do have some sort of bias” and that partisan labeling simply gives voters baseline information about candidates’ general views. Other members asked whether the bill would override recent county votes and about the practical mechanics for counties to change back to partisan elections.

Representative Schubert asked the committee for a do‑pass. No committee vote or final action was recorded in the hearing transcript.

The hearing record includes local officials who repeatedly told the committee that in counties where voters have chosen nonpartisan elections, that local choice should be respected. The committee closed the hearing on HB 482 and proceeded to other bills on its agenda.","Representative Lucas Schubert opened the hearing on House Bill 482, saying the measure would make local government elections partisan.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears bill to allow state jurisdiction over juvenile cases on some military lands

Committee considers electronic ballot return for voters with disabilities

Lawmakers hear split testimony on bill to make local elections partisan