Category: Government
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On Watch: Will Inflation Stay Tame?
By Orphe Divounguy, The Center Square Bottom Line: This week’s inflation data is expected to show a slight uptick in consumer prices. However, a moderation in consumer spending could limit the ability of businesses to pass tariff-induced cost increases to consumers. This week brings the economic calendar’s main event: the May consumer price index (CPI)…
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Watchdogs: New Montana Law Restricting Foreign Money in Elections Insufficient
By Tom Joyce, The Center Square Montana recently became the sixth state this year to pass a ban on foreign spending on ballot measures. Watchdog organizations, however, say the state’s new law is inadequate. Montana’s new law bars non-U.S. citizens, foreign governments, foreign political parties and foreign-owned entities from contributing to campaigns surrounding ballot measures.…
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AI Regulatory Moratorium Provides Time to Get the Standard Right
By Taylor Barkley and Sebastian Griffin, Abundance Institute and Mountain States Policy Center For states like Washington, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, the 10-year regulatory moratorium on artificial intelligence recently passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The committee’s decision to advance this pause on state-level AI regulations marks a crucial step toward…
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Lab-Grown Meat Banned in Montana
Governor Greg Gianforte has signed into law HB 401, a bill banning the manufacturing and sale of lab-grown meat in Montana. “If you’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying a cut of Montana beef, you know there is no substitute,” Gov. Gianforte said. “By signing House Bill 401 into law, I am proud to defend…
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Essential Air Service Uncertain
Small communities in Montana dependent on Essential Air Service (EAS) may lose the $300 million those airports have depended upon to fund air service from services such a CapeAir. Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget issued a letter in May which included the loss of that federal subsidy as one of…
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Bill 1 Agressively Cuts Wind and Solar
The reconciliation package passed by the US House of Representatives, aggressively sunsetted wind and solar energy subsidies – more aggressively than an earlier version would have, according to Isasc Orr and Mitch Rolling on Substack.com. While the original version would have gradually phased out the “clean electricity production credit” and the “clean electricity investment credit”…
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Will Tax Bill bring Balance?
After extensive debate about various proposals in the waning hours of the Montana State Legislature, the body passed two tax bills: House Bill 231 and Senate Bill 542. More so than tax cuts, amid claims that the new law is complicated, legislators said the new law will “rebalance” the state’s property tax system. It shifts…
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SBA Celebrates First 100 Days
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) celebrated the tremendous success of the Following the first 100 Days of the Trump Administration, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) highlighted some of his economic wins, including an 80% increase in SBA loan approvals which are driving historic rates of growth, hiring, and investment for America’s small businesses.…
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Restraining Environmental Regs
Governor Gianforte signed into law three bills passed by the Montana State Legislature, which address the state’s environmental laws, largely in response to the Held v. Montana ruling issued by the state Supreme Court last December. Gianforte said, the new law will “provide certainty to Montana businesses, large and small, that are trying to make…
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Protecting Women
The Montana State Legislature took up the very controversial issues regarding gender autonomy and protection of women’s rights. Three bills were passed: House Bill 121, which protects women’s and girls’ locker rooms, bathrooms, and private spaces from biological males House Bill 300, which safeguardes women’s collegiate sports from unfair competition Senate Bill 437, which defines…