How much does it cost to teach a child in Montana, and what’s the right way to pay the bill? That’s the question a group of lawmakers and education advocates will attempt to answer over the next year and a half. MTPR’s Austin Amestoy sat down with host Elinor Smith to explain why finding the answer could be easier said than done.
Learn about the key bills, big debates, party politics and what’s next for Montana’s laws from the journalists who were there. Watch the recording of our live legislative recap.
The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority recently hosted a conference in Livingston’s retired railroad station. It focused on restoring stops like the Historic Depot through renewing Amtrak’s Big Sky North Coast Corridor.
Two Native American voters in the Chippewa Cree Tribe are suing Chouteau County for minimizing the impact of Native voters' voices in local elections. They say at-large elections prevent Native Americans in the county from getting a fair say in who represents them.
A district court has blocked the governor from intervening in an escalating dispute among state Public Service Commission (PSC) members over claims of sexual harassment. The PSC is the oversight board charged with regulating Montana’s utilities
Montana’s top elected leaders say they support President Donald Trump’s recent deployment of the National Guard to Washington D.C. Troops there are acting as law enforcement, and Trump says he's considering sending the Guard into more cities.
Gov. Greg Gianforte toured a correctional facility in Boulder Tuesday that serves as overflow space for the Women's Prison. State Corrections director Brian Gootkin says the Riverside facility is helping to ease backlogs, but a new women's prison is still needed.
A federal program launched in 2021 offered billions of dollars for states to improve internet access. The funding was supposed to bring high-speed fiber optic service to rural areas. But companies using other technology, like satellites, won most of the locations.
Montana’s Medicaid office is struggling to process applications in a timely manner. The state is planning to fast track new work requirements and eligibility checks – which would mean even more paperwork for applicants and state officials.
A Helena-based campaign contractor this week pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud. According to documents filed in federal court, Abbey Lee Cook embezzled over $250,000 from six unnamed victims between 2021 and 2024.