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Articles written by Caven Wade


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  • Lawmakers set to debate charter schools in state during second half of legislative session

    Caven Wade and Elinor Smith, UM Legislative News Service University of Montana School of Journalism|Updated Mar 16, 2023

    The 68th Montana Legislature is halfway through its 90-day session and while the budget is the biggest focus of the Legislature in the second half, other topics, including education, will not be far behind. Republicans and Democrats have found some common ground on education with bills like Senate Bill 8, from Sen. Shannon O’Brien, D-Missoula, which would update personalized learning programs across the state. However, the two parties are still far apart when it comes to other issues. Republicans want to give parents more r...

  • Lawmakers hear testimony on bills that would fund $1.3 billion in water, sewer and other infrastructure projects

    Caven Wade, UM Legislative News Service|Updated Feb 3, 2023

    In the last 11 years, the city of Havre has had 255 water main breaks. The city's public works director, Dave Pederson, says 46 of those breaks happened in the last two years alone. "During main breaks, large sections of the city are without water for a long period of time," Pederson said. Restoring Havre's water system is at the top of a long list of water, sewer and other infrastructure projects across the state that lawmakers are considering in the 2023 Montana...

  • Committee tables, revives Gianforte's property tax bill

    Caven Wade, UM Legislative News Service|Updated Jan 26, 2023

    One week before Gov. Greg Gianforte was scheduled to give his State of the State address to the Montana Legislature, a panel of lawmakers tabled and then revived one of the flagship bills in his tax package, which would spend a quarter of the state’s nearly $2 billion surplus on property tax relief for homeowners. In the Legislature’s third week in Helena, two key property tax bills got hearings in the House Taxation Committee – House Bills 222 and 189. Rep. Tom Welch, R-Dillon, is sponsoring House Bill 222, which would...