Local groups press economic justice, warn of punitive welfare reform and push back on efforts to ban affirmative action

A representative of the Montana Women's Lobby and Courtney Bush of the Montana Association for Civil Rights addressed a Missoula forum on economic justice, welfare reform and the future of affirmative action in Montana.

"There is a fallacy brewing in Helena ... that you can shortchange welfare programs, and shrink welfare roles, and somehow or other this is not going to be punitive," said the Montana Women's Lobby speaker, urging attendees to discuss and organize locally on women's economic issues.

Courtney Bush, speaking for the Montana Association for Civil Rights, circulated a petition and reviewed the scope of federal anti‑discrimination law. Bush listed federally protected attributes as she described them — "race, color, national origin, marital status, age, disability, religion, creed, political organization or political belief, status as a Vietnam veteran, and status as a veteran with disability" — and warned attendees to oppose a proposed constitutional amendment she said would ban affirmative‑action measures in Montana.

Why it matters: the speakers tied economic insecurity, welfare policy and civil‑rights protections together, arguing that punitive changes to assistance programs would harm people in a state with limited employment opportunities. They asked attendees to join small‑group discussions following the presentations and to consider testimony and petitions for the Legislature.

What was not recorded: the forum recorded advocacy and education; it did not record specific bill numbers for welfare proposals or the formal text of the constitutional amendment Bush referenced. The transcript does not show any formal action by a government body taken at the meeting.

Ending: organizers invited participants to smaller breakout discussions to plan local organizing and to offer help submitting testimony or signatures for petitions.