Infighting continues in the Montana Republican Party as a new set of bylaws for party members comes under scrutiny in district court. A Montana state senator charged with official misconduct faces a jury trial that started Tuesday. More than 100,000 people responded to a proposed overhaul of federal grazing regulations.

A potential plan for bolstering state support for school safety is taking shape ahead of the next legislative session.

State Sen. Jason Ellsworth, a Republican from Hamilton and former Senate president, was charged last year with official misconduct for awarding two no-bid state contracts to a longtime friend.

The Montana Republican Party worked this primary season to oust several of its own members from the state Legislature. The party took issue with moderate candidates it saw as being too willing to work across the aisle with Democrats. With the dust from this month’s primary election settled, Lee Newspapers State Bureau reporter Seaborn Larson joined MTPR’s Austin Amestoy to share results of the intraparty battle

A bipartisan supermajority of Montana state senators penned a letter urging Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy of Box Elder to resign immediately from the Legislature. The letter follows allegations against Windy Boy of sexual abuse, harassment and solicitation of minors.

The Montana GOP is putting a thumb on the scale in competitive legislative primaries. More than a dozen moderate conservatives are facing challenges from hardline Republicans. The results will reveal how deep the state GOP’s influence runs.

Education nonprofits and advocates say the state isn’t investing enough in Montana’s schools. Earlier this month, they proposed a $1.7 billion plan to state lawmakers that would boost education funding.

Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed a new bill into law, nearly a year after the last legislative session ended. The policy defines male and female in state law as binary, and would eliminate legal recognition of transgender, nonbinary and intersex Montanans.

A first-of-its-kind statewide health insurance trust for school employees got the green light from state regulators last week. Administrators are hopeful it could help control one of education’s most expensive line items.

Montana Farmers Union is working to enhance legislative literacy in rural communities. Events demonstrate how to contact representatives and participate in the legislative session. Ag communities have been impacted by several state and federal policy changes in recent years.