Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Panel hears bill to shrink Montana Heritage Commission, sparking debate over tribal representation and historian seats
Summary
Senate Bill 116 would reduce the Montana Heritage Commission from 14 to 9 members, change appointment balances, and align staffing/pay language with other Commerce boards. Supporters cite modest savings and simpler voting; tribal representatives and some senators pushed for explicit historian and THPO representation.
Senate Bill 116, presented Tuesday to the Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee, would reduce the Montana Heritage Commission from 14 members to 9 and update administrative language regarding indirect rates and staffing.
Sponsor Senator Tony Tizak introduced the measure and turned the presentation over to Deputy Director Mandy Rambo of the Montana Department of Commerce, who said the bill “reduces it to 9” members and aligns the commission’s staffing and pay language with other Commerce-attached boards. Rambo said the change to an odd-numbered commission would “make it a little bit easier for voting purposes.”
The bill trims five governor-appointed seats (from nine to four) while preserving statutory seats for three…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
