[{"_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",6126958,"mediaKeyId","2665188-4d04d6144db7e80e7e38e5eca54f9ad6","parentId",2665188,"title","Montana bill clarifies 'temporary' residency language; witnesses disagree over student voting impact","audioSeconds",4200,"startMs",174750,"endMs",4375430,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665188-4d04d6144db7e80e7e38e5eca54f9ad6&start=174&end=4375","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665188-4d04d6144db7e80e7e38e5eca54f9ad6/thumbnail_174750.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6126958/Montana/Montana-bill-clarifies-temporary-residency-language-witnesses-disagree-over-student-voting-impact","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126958-572c15f7d6cc5130f7d2c2b3df42a5a5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083175&Signature=cX33HH~hiMVNjojIttX118RxIUZZxvE9E1NhmBT8niRhR28DQ7PbEl3N6TkPQWOl-fHuD8cC9si0vkJUsOoOHFwpioSXcQPxNtmMM2o8QIjFTUlQzkMfdsIW3UcZ200MEvfq6jn7~Bv--tmF3c8IwQ16iZyBE2ISpiVzAtrV2JdJAMOVg7udPteU8yDSYNALu8TpzceQqmE8oZ9ei59b7RglRgg~yNu31TGf0CMZohALbOK0p7nmxS625Xh3zpcZb3nWsjnlnkYHXSzRABuMUd6WLcn2XpGF5~nPMKapNE17aR9QBnDGja~fnaiJFA30PEKgAB1cK8cy1XQl2YV-OQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-03-17T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Jane Gillette introduced House Bill 413 to the Senate State Administration Committee, saying the measure clarifies an existing law that prevents people who are in a county only for temporary purposes \"without the intention of making that county the individual's home\" from gaining residence there.

The bill, Gillette said, does not change who can vote but clarifies what the code means by \"temporary,\" listing temporary work, temporary training and temporary education programs as examples. \"House bill 4 1 3 just clarifies, an existing section of law,\" Gillette told the committee.

Why it matters: supporters said the bill addresses confusion between short-term physical presence and legal domicile — a long-running issue in Montana code — and could help election administrators and the public understand eligibility rules. Opponents, including student organizations and tribal representatives, said the bill is vague about enforcement and could disenfranchise students, people with unstable housing and tribal members whose living patterns do not fit the bill's examples.

Attorney Tom Stusick, a proponent testifying from Bozeman, argued the change is a necessary clarification of legal terms. Quoting Black's Law Dictionary, Stusick said, \"Residence means living in a particular locality, but domicile means living in that locality with the intention to make it your fixed and permanent home.\" He told the committee the distinction has produced confusion across tax, motor vehicle and election law and cited Dunn v. Blumstein as a key precedent about a state's interest in ensuring a voter \"has in fact become a member of the community.\"

Other proponents, including Mary Beveridge and county election official Lisa Bennett, told the committee the clarification would help local election administrators and align state practice with federal registration requirements. Austin James, speaking later in the hearing on a different bill, likewise emphasized operational clarity for clerks.

Opponents included tribal representatives and multiple student organizations. Patrick Yawaki, speaking for the Blackfeet Scribe and tribal communities, said the bill would place new burdens on Montana tribal electors who often face unstable housing and employment. \"House Bill 4 13 sets out more restrictions against Montana voters,\" Yawaki said.

Isabelle Watson, representing the Associated Students of Montana State University, told senators the bill \"denies voting rights to anyone relocating to Montana for temporary purposes, including education, unless they prove intent to make the state their permanent home.\" Watson and other campus organizations argued the intent standard is difficult to apply and could keep students from voting on local matters—housing, transit and minimum wage—that affect them.

Committee members questioned sponsors and witnesses about enforcement and the practical effect on students, snowbirds and others who split time among states. Gillette said the bill does not create a new enforcement mechanism; it is intended to clarify the existing law for the public, not to direct clerks to pursue prosecutions. \"This bill does not have an enforcement component to it,\" she said.

No committee vote was recorded during the hearing. The committee closed the hearing on HB413 after extended testimony and discussion.

The hearing drew lengthy testimony from legal experts, student organizations, tribal representatives and election administrators, and senators asked staff to consider possible follow-up language to address questions raised about specific populations and the bill's practical application.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate State Administration Mar 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Jane Gillette introduced House Bill 413 to clarify what Montana law means by \"temporary\" residence, saying the change would not alter existing eligibility rules but would define temporary work, training and education programs as non-residency.","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},6126949,"Bill shortens filing window, adds 'sore loser' restriction; third-party groups warn of higher barriers",2773,5430760,8204123,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665188-4d04d6144db7e80e7e38e5eca54f9ad6&start=5430&end=8204","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665188-4d04d6144db7e80e7e38e5eca54f9ad6/thumbnail_5430760.jpg","/articles/6126949/Montana/Bill-shortens-filing-window-adds-sore-loser-restriction-third-party-groups-warn-of-higher-barriers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126949-e74f8c97e507a7fbb018aa134522f310/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083175&Signature=V2Ti4UFHzkEKOpsY9mxms-68wEjI~b1MlL6KPkP~ZATPaPbgXZsc-bwyHuTWP6Dble0YfvFcHtKMwFjeiNj2311pkKm44GpafktIWmPQ-DUqVWoDZRbwZvHiVVXH0EEkJg0BK1QgaDqIrROEH96PshtEewJx3UkgB6dnJPqt3trasIbccPb6-jplIRn4cQAEuYcyFGEKYfKP0UkbRnNxWqYgWP7-9x1Lw7I~yJEYsFi210~DiOOODv2EUfkXqF~Cq7UV4rC9rjiHizgDXzF8wjIQ6ZikYEXT2K7Agw~QRY8cbnm9Pfv8z7Nsu7VS~kVrCfDFM9YPJVC3h1fHqobsfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Jody Etchart introduced House Bill 207, saying recent amendments narrowed the bill's scope: it does not increase the signature percentage for third-party or independent candidates (that remains at 5 percent) but it shortens the filing window for candidates and adds a \"sore loser\" provision that prevents a primary loser from seeking the same office in the general election by petition or write-in.

Etchart explained the operational changes: the candidate filing period would be shortened from 60 days to 15 days; filing would still close at a similar calendar date before the general election (the sponsor said petition signature deadlines for entries that use petitions remain unchanged, citing a May 28 deadline on the Secretary of State calendar). The bill also requires independents to file with the Secretary of State at the same time as party candidates rather than waiting until the primary.

Austin James, speaking on behalf of Secretary of State Christy Jacobson, supported the bill as an administrative improvement. \"When we open candidate filing the first couple days, we get 99% of all candidate filings and the remaining 1% we get in the last 10 minutes,\" James said, adding the change would concentrate staff work into a smaller, predictable interval and reduce overtime during the certification period.

Third-party and independent groups strongly opposed the bill. David Herbst, speaking for the Montana Libertarian Party, warned the bill's shift from \"registered voters\" to \"active voters\" in signature calculations (as drafted in one section) could substantially increase the effective signature burden for petition-driven ballot access. \"The switch from valid registered voters to active voters means additional loads on certification of those ballots,\" Herbst said, arguing the change would raise the practical cost of restoring ballot access for third parties.

Other opponents included Melissa Wong (Montana Libertarian Party chair), Leslie Soule (Helena chapter), Artie Albini and Gary Buchanan (independent candidate and former official). Melissa Wong urged the committee to \"reject HB207\" and said the measure \"makes that harder, silencing Montanans who want practical solutions over partisan noise.\" Gary Buchanan, an independent who previously ran statewide, called the bill an \"abuse of power\" that would make ballot access materially harder.

Supporters and the sponsor pushed back that the bill keeps the 5 percent signature threshold intact, does not reduce petition-gathering calendar deadlines, and is consistent with similar provisions (sore-loser rules) used in many other states. Etchart said she had looked at Wyoming's language for the sore-loser clause and that, per available references, many states have some variation of the restriction.

Committee questioning focused on two technical concerns: the practical effect of counting \"active\" instead of all \"registered\" electors when calculating signature thresholds and the shorter filing window's effect on candidates who travel for interim committee work. Secretary of State staff said they did not see a change in outcomes from prior petition cycles when computed with the bill's language; opponents countered with a statistical explanation that the composition of active versus inactive registrants changes over election cycles and could raise the effective signature requirement for petition candidates.

No committee vote was recorded; the sponsor and opponents said they would continue discussions on specific drafting choices.

The hearing drew robust opposition from Libertarian Party members and independent candidates, who emphasized ballot access concerns, and administrative support from the Secretary of State's office focused on predictable staffing and certification timelines.","Rep. Jody Etchart told the committee HB207 shortens the candidate filing period from 60 to 15 days, aligns independent filing with party filing and adds a \"sore loser\" bar preventing a primary loser from re-entering the same race by petition or write-in.",{"_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},6126953,"Committee hears bill to clear provisional voter registrations; county clerks back state rulemaking authority",883,4459550,5343275,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665188-4d04d6144db7e80e7e38e5eca54f9ad6&start=4459&end=5343","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665188-4d04d6144db7e80e7e38e5eca54f9ad6/thumbnail_4459550.jpg","/articles/6126953/Montana/Committee-hears-bill-to-clear-provisional-voter-registrations-county-clerks-back-state-rulemaking-authority","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126953-1acc24f833b43c95e07d88f56349cfd9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083175&Signature=lVk9cRbvkSjD-3AbZdPU-tWy6MtTascDf78B6GNArSZCEgr5sGkSDGCIr3BI~scp07CgDjnXsqf9dZKyo52Y3lD8z2sDsMW~X2jqylyw2Y15rCVLeFhi0quhnmHjqFbsGhDjx-DfuBdrpFdf9AdGtKbRLfBGkDtUi3ik2lkbwcODrGRh6DL5lfZ9IDsHlExfcA5QgIfmnWamYVG2EJdxeLAcXDuHtHEpB1aJKBBDR35yZNSUxlBzkgRpzesPkoqDkAXygho9hAEc382h2BWQfhSk~FE3wu62BSTPubIXNEl-mMBpIH2g87DDsgNfcrDRw7hVJ9tsZqxbBaZP7qWd-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Love opened the hearing on House Bill 423, a targeted bill that directs the Secretary of State's office to adopt procedures for handling provisional voter registrations that cannot be verified.

The sponsor described a situation in which a voter submits a registration with missing or incorrect information, is marked provisional while clerks attempt to confirm identity, and then becomes stuck in \"limbo\" when verification attempts fail. The bill would authorize rulemaking and a statutory scheme so clerks and the secretary's office can consistently clean up provisional registrants.

Austin James, speaking on behalf of Secretary of State Christy Jacobson, called HB423 a \"common sense bill that closes an unintentional loophole in code and provides for a statutory scheme so that we can keep our rolls clean.\" He told the committee provisional registrations are a relatively small number in most counties but should not be left indefinitely unresolved.

Ravalli County election administrator Regina Plettenberg, testifying for the Montana Association of Clerk and Recorders, said the bill would give local administrators clearer direction and urged a do-pass recommendation. Plettenberg told senators her county had only about 10 provisional registrations in that status but that consistent statewide guidance would help avoid inconsistent treatment.

Representative Love and witnesses emphasized the bill does not change NVRA (National Voter Registration Act) obligations for active and inactive lists; instead, it provides authority and rules so provisional registrations are addressed in a consistent way.

Representative Love said the statewide count of unresolved provisional registrations is \"in the thousands statewide but not hundreds of thousands,\" while local clerks described the problem as limited in scale but important for list accuracy.

The committee asked questions about potential language such as whether the bill should use \"maintain\" rather than \"remove\" when describing provisional registrations. Witnesses and the sponsor said they were willing to work on drafting tweaks; the secretary's office described the bill's intent as creating a list-maintenance procedure rather than wholesale deletions.

The hearing concluded with no committee vote recorded on HB423.

The testimony came primarily from the Secretary of State's office and county election administrators and focused on operational details of list maintenance.","Rep. Love presented HB423 to create a statutory process to handle provisional registrations that cannot be verified. The Secretary of State's office and county election administrators supported the bill as a limited cleanup measure; no opponents appeared.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Montana bill clarifies 'temporary' residency language; witnesses disagree over student voting impact

Bill shortens filing window, adds 'sore loser' restriction; third-party groups warn of higher barriers

Committee hears bill to clear provisional voter registrations; county clerks back state rulemaking authority