House committee tables bill to add media literacy to legislative goals

The Montana House Education Committee voted to table House Bill 508, a proposal to establish a legislative goal supporting instruction in media literacy, following discussion and a roll-call vote.

Sponsored by Representative Quordom, HB 508 sought to “establish a legislative goal to support instruction in media literacy” and referenced administrative standards from the Board of Public Education on library media and information literacy for K-12. Committee staff pointed members to a packet from the Board of Public Education on media-literacy standards.

Members expressed mixed views. Representative Strand said she supported the objective of strengthening media literacy but worried the bill moved instruction into legislated specifics and appeared to focus on library-based objectives rather than classroom instruction. Representative Espin said the bill merely adds “strengthening media literacy” to an existing list in 20-1-102 and indicated support.

Representative Nikko Kakuz moved to table the bill. The committee conducted a roll-call vote on the motion to table; the clerk recorded the following votes in the hearing record: Representatives Bertolio, Miklagakos, Eisley, Deming, Seakins Crowe (aye by proxy), Tillman, Overstreet, Vice Chair Romano, Chair Exton and one other voted yea; Representatives Esman, Lynch, Elvrom and Strand voted no. The committee chair stated the motion to table passed with 10 yes votes and 5 no votes. The clerk instructed committee members to keep the bill in their folders as a tabled item.

The committee’s discussion centered on whether media literacy belongs in a statutory legislative goal and whether existing standards already covered the topic. No amendments were adopted before the motion to table.