[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6621321,"mediaKeyId","2803164-43de1e810820bc2bf69b6cc8b201c100","parentId",2803164,"title","E‑Verify bill draws sharp division; business groups warn of enforcement and anonymous tips, advocates call for stronger verification","audioSeconds",1380,"startMs",3232000,"endMs",4612000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2803164-43de1e810820bc2bf69b6cc8b201c100&start=3232&end=4612","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2803164-43de1e810820bc2bf69b6cc8b201c100/thumbnail_3232000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6621321/Montana/EVerify-bill-draws-sharp-division-business-groups-warn-of-enforcement-and-anonymous-tips-advocates-call-for-stronger-verification","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621321-c0a70ebd856dfdb9f1da9fd0fae57154/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448411&Signature=O7i48m~XXD-AbQI5Iwg5AFMoboj5ubXsIMhsTNSRvG0zqDWA9gsPIQZWr5p~4iuiIXmxjgY~4ylZbc1R8YPw7jMbebPUZVxl6v2oARN4HirxFwldXKoq2PBVaXmHXEnNlOxml-q6L53kIC5fPCv7hzsOQhLzb1cWsWzmOXKaFRKqan4CeRhZ7pOCbYYVRF1OVX7P4B-wZNU4bfeEjVd0TQ54KV1T-wI48KCp5QsNslqrArbGc1mbXda5~VjdICu-8ajzKArMH8~yb58mWXA-4ZYUjc40P6I1TdX5rMArLyTz1kaA88TPtCmbNhMF5Jw1L1ejESCfmSacsLdyQUmxNA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-03-27T00:00:00Z","article","Senator Forrest Mandeville opened the hearing on Senate Bill 329, which would require employers with more than 50 employees to use the federal E‑Verify system to confirm new hires’ employment eligibility and would direct the attorney general to investigate complaints and maintain a list of violators that could bar state contracting.

Proponents said mandatory E‑Verify is an effective tool to reduce illegal hiring. Andrew Goode, a national advocate for verification policies, told the committee that E‑Verify is free, widely used and in some studies associated with sharp declines in unauthorised presence where states adopted mandates. \"E Verify is an excellent system. It gets excellent reviews from employers that use it,\" he said.

Business groups—including the Montana Retail Association, Montana Restaurant Association and Montana Chamber of Commerce—opposed the bill. Brad Griffin, who represents multiple trade associations, said mandatory E‑Verify is a heavy lift for many members and criticized the bill’s anonymous complaint mechanism. \"For smaller businesses, the time, training, and resources needed to use E Verify can feel like an unnecessary hassle,\" Griffin said.

Kerry Hegreberg of the Montana Chamber and other opponents warned the attorney general’s investigatory mandate and the bill’s right‑of‑entry language could amount to significant government intrusion on private employers and could enable harassment through repeated anonymous tips. Campgrounds of America also opposed the bill for forcing exclusive use of E‑Verify rather than allowing employers to choose compliance paths the federal government permits.

Informational witnesses from state agencies explained how enforcement and coordination could work. Alex Sturhan (Montana Department of Justice) said DOJ would perform whatever enforcement the Legislature assigns but noted the office would likely need hiring resources for a new investigatory role. Sarah Swanson, Commissioner at the Department of Labor and Industry, and Dean Mack from State Human Resources explained DLI already conducts on‑site inspections for prevailing wage and other compliance and could coordinate with DOJ; they said DLI believed it could absorb additional duties but that parallel tracks could be clunky without clear coordination.

Committee members asked about the threshold (50 employees), whether a carve‑out for small employers should stay, how state enforcement should be split between agencies, and whether a House bill (HB226) that takes a different enforcement path might be preferable. The sponsor said the 50‑employee threshold was chosen in the Senate as a pragmatic carve‑out for small employers and that he would consider coordination language and fixes to the anonymous‑complaint provision. The sponsor also said the bill includes a good‑faith defense intended to protect employers acting honestly.

No final committee vote occurred during the hearing. The committee will likely consider amendments addressing the anonymous‑complaint language, enforcement assignment and the employer‑size threshold before any floor action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Judiciary - Mar 27, 2025 08:00 - 13:00","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 329 would require employers with more than 50 employees to use E‑Verify for new hires and assign investigatory enforcement to the attorney general; proponents said the system curbs illegal hiring while business groups warned of burdens and potential abuse of anonymous complaints.","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},6621326,"Senator urges ban on intoxicating delta‑9 hemp; proponents cite youth access, industry seeks carve‑outs",132,163000,295000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2803164-43de1e810820bc2bf69b6cc8b201c100&start=163&end=295","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2803164-43de1e810820bc2bf69b6cc8b201c100/thumbnail_163000.jpg","/articles/6621326/Montana/Senator-urges-ban-on-intoxicating-delta9-hemp-proponents-cite-youth-access-industry-seeks-carveouts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621326-11eb8ff354030122c5dbe2b52a601a32/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448411&Signature=a2nUn~l723967vRXwPXIdwYrwtjIGuvVPTvOLeg7evRs0Shu1F57Si4etPap-bdtnaIW2QtLv85KxaWyktkb5i7qYvrDv00V~~9phRUKpVQqhrCKgUrWVvfyU-AZlfuwos8aZlFKlsxfozP2Ygv6BCTvetSWHPYX4q5P0E3cxzT6suEEM3vYxpf7QKKQZ0SRK3WmzyXCB7l~0xmbyazw6li5Jw8jVBWEhopbyYfxWwMrq8FRdf0SfsnfIimm6iIitu53v3-mQAwWEqY-Sm5bIg4eJADVOJvrRm8aJAEXuSPdDubcsHeW1IoUhPTSeUggzzNphyD-FX18WXf4CHvPrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Mark Noland introduced Senate Bill 375 to the House Judiciary Committee, asking lawmakers to ban retail sales of intoxicating hemp products that contain delta‑9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Montana.

The bill’s sponsor said federal hemp legalization created a loophole that allowed highly potent, hemp‑derived intoxicants to proliferate, often in candy‑like forms that can appeal to youth. \"The intent of the bill I bring to you today . . . is to prohibit the sale of the intoxicating hemp products in the state of Montana,\" Senator Mark Noland said.

Supporters including Safe Montana, Youth Connections, Molson Coors Beverage Company and the Montana Cannabis Guild told the committee these products are unregulated, untaxed and readily available at convenience stores, vape shops and online. Coleen Smith, executive director of Youth Connections, said products are being marketed in ways that target children and there are no consistent age limits at retail. \"Our kids are getting access to these intoxicating products,\" Smith said. Steve Zobowood, founder of Safe Montana, said the state should require all intoxicating THC to be sold through licensed dispensaries or pharmacies, and called the bill a \"simple, clean\" approach to remove these products from unregulated retail.

Opponents and industry witnesses said they support protecting youth but warned that the bill’s current text lacked clear carve‑outs and could ban ordinary hemp foods and ingredients. Pat Farrell, CEO of Big Sky Scientific, said the bill as drafted could eliminate lawful CBD products because no hemp product is completely free of trace THC. \"There is no CBD product that contains 0 amount of THC. It does not exist,\" Farrell said, and urged language that limits the ban to finished consumer products rather than agribusiness inputs.

Catherine Rosendale, a laboratory director, told the committee Montana law and regulations already use per‑serving and per‑package thresholds (she and several witnesses cited the existing Department of Revenue guidance of 0.5 milligrams of delta‑9 THC per serving and 2 milligrams per package). Rosendale said testing can detect THC at parts‑per‑billion levels and that drafting limits by percent alone can produce unintended exclusions of legitimate non‑intoxicating products. \"If we have a limit of no none, that does eliminate all CBD products from the market from Montana consumers,\" she said.

Kristen Barber, administrator of the Cannabis Control Division at the Department of Revenue, said her agency regulates marijuana but not intoxicating hemp and noted that House Bill 49, moving through the Legislature, addresses synthetic cannabinoids. She told the committee the proliferation of intoxicating hemp products poses risks to youth and public health and that banning sales until a regulatory framework is available could be a reasonable interim approach.

Committee members pressed witnesses on specific drafting problems: whether the bill would prohibit farmers from growing hemp, how post‑harvest biomass and wholesale ingredient sales would be affected, and how to reconcile the federal farm bill hemp definition (0.3% delta‑9 THC by dry weight) with the intent to ban intoxicating retail products. Industry witnesses said the primary concern is that the bill mixes agribusiness definitions with consumer product regulation and asked for clarifying amendments that would restrict the ban to retail consumer products and preserve legitimate hemp farming and processing.

The hearing closed with the sponsor indicating willingness to work with stakeholders on amendments to protect non‑intoxicating hemp businesses while restricting sale of intoxicating retail products.

Votes or final actions were not taken during the hearing; the bill moved forward for further work with stakeholders.","A hearing on Senate Bill 375 drew supporters who said intoxicating hemp products are unregulated and attractive to children, while hemp processors and lab experts warned the bill's current wording could unintentionally eliminate lawful CBD and agribusiness activity and urged narrowly tailored amendments.",{"_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},6621311,"Committee hears short technical bill to assign court‑administration duties to chief justice",75,4605000,4680000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2803164-43de1e810820bc2bf69b6cc8b201c100&start=4605&end=4680","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2803164-43de1e810820bc2bf69b6cc8b201c100/thumbnail_4605000.jpg","/articles/6621311/Montana/Committee-hears-short-technical-bill-to-assign-courtadministration-duties-to-chief-justice","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621311-7615a3184748a0e811146cfd6bf52cdd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448411&Signature=jX2~48STu8kO5ArVM9RiF1AlWBTwnlTupJka9CSciUwb-lnhY8L5nqXdF15lJQDOwdCztOFGqysp3OqtTxwL-bGNgpQsMt9C8Y4mA1AVb2FluohE4oV0hBm3scZv9kM~BrbK~5u7Ml-CPTB7FrnLMaEnJ4puoO-g89DeW8LVHgGONR7t1hXiqU0t5WnH9iH7TPaavxrZNKHMcrCVdlkm7hJXJz8JvMmlOf9iahT56EgK4YVaKV9YAvRUlsWbOFeTaipHZcpY4yhOWhkE4tA~DTce2V005q1IRsLdtkEYtFqD9wE9xuuC-bs4Uz5HWDXDCThUmY221~-cZgXC1ZpA-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator John Fuller presented Senate Bill 342, a technical change to statutes governing Supreme Court administration that replaces references to the \"court\" with the chief justice when describing appointment authority for the court administrator.

The sponsor said the change aligns statutory language with the state constitution, which vests administrative authority in the chief justice, and argued the amendment would increase accountability because the public could effect change via a single elective office rather than a multi‑member vote. Bowen Greenwood, clerk of the Montana Supreme Court, testified in support and said placing the appointment with the chief justice reduces the number of justices who would need to recuse themselves if a court administrator later appeared before the court.

No opponents signed up and the committee discussion was brief. The bill was left for further consideration; no committee vote occurred during the brief hearing.","Senate Bill 342 would clarify that the Montana Supreme Court’s chief justice — rather than the full court — appoints the court administrator; proponents said the change increases accountability and simplifies recusal questions; no opposition appeared.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":92,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":95,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6621316,"Committee advances bill restricting certain medical interventions for minors; sharply divided testimony",2257,6862000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2803164-43de1e810820bc2bf69b6cc8b201c100&start=4605&end=6862","/articles/6621316/Montana/Committee-advances-bill-restricting-certain-medical-interventions-for-minors-sharply-divided-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621316-cd714082adbfc5d9bb4e1ee39c33047d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448411&Signature=gWyn8Zfo2v~Iwk-IbIhxVUtTxL8qcmk24TWct1fn1qIOZikaTuNw8I~gdnqSBNxJr79ZpMMgTwlkb1pZUsnmnOmTP88LlZTflK0RtyW9q2q-g5E00loYUOzFUz9amHwr3zgkZAJqxraXkgBS6dRcBav1CXZ5euswuxuhBcwwCYCJXCZFU6G5i2TK7mpzN8XS8Slmr412BWsV5uMRpP~83CzWZ4aTwv4dy6RBUpM-ZdShHZ1aqRF2iiWkCgp3jnrP8xRacrKguFIgNXddc1TL3Z7h9GSt30p-8dlTYWJekBLk2lH1sppPP7RuRCe3x1zNpNgFyMuPzMqM40MGo7hz6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator John Fuller opened Senate Bill 164, which would revise the criminal offense of endangering the welfare of children to prohibit performing or facilitating specified puberty‑blocking or cross‑sex treatments and certain surgeries for persons under age 16 when the purpose is to alter the child’s appearance to match a perceived gender different from the child's biological sex.

Supporters argued the bill protects vulnerable children from irreversible medical interventions taken before they can give informed consent. Representative Kelly said the measure would prevent experimental or unproven interventions and protect minors from decisions they may regret later. \"Why drag our children into this area right now?\" Representative Kelly asked.

Opponents said the bill's wording is overbroad, could criminalize ordinary medical care, and risks creating confusion for mandatory reporters in schools and for clinicians. Representative Staffman, a lawyer, warned that the bill's grammatical structure and conjunctive phrasing create legal ambiguity that could be interpreted to outlaw a wide range of procedures performed for appearance or non‑medical reasons. \"I'm telling you what the bill does. And it outlaws any procedure, that is done at surgical or hormones for for the purpose of altering the appearance of the child,\" Staffman said.

Medical and child‑welfare concerns were raised on both sides. Several committee members emphasized deep personal convictions and the need to protect children; others said criminal statutes are a blunt tool better avoided in favor of regulatory, licensing or professional standards. The sponsor accepted an amendment to delay the bill’s effective date to allow transition time if the committee advances the measure.

After extended debate the committee moved the bill forward during executive action with a recorded vote: the House Judiciary Committee passed the amended bill by a 12‑to‑8 roll call on the day of executive action.","Senate Bill 164 would criminalize performing sex‑altering surgeries and routine cross‑sex hormone treatments on minors when intended to change appearance or affirm a discordant gender identity; supporters said it protects children, opponents warned it criminalizes parental and medical decision‑making and urged rejection or major revision.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

E‑Verify bill draws sharp division; business groups warn of enforcement and anonymous tips, advocates call for stronger verification

Senator urges ban on intoxicating delta‑9 hemp; proponents cite youth access, industry seeks carve‑outs

Committee hears short technical bill to assign court‑administration duties to chief justice

Committee advances bill restricting certain medical interventions for minors; sharply divided testimony