Last-minute proposal could have changed the House districts
Letter to the Editor,
I fought off a last-minute proposal to radically restructure House and Senate districts in Northwest Montana during a session Monday, Feb. 4.
The last-minute proposal was slipped into House Resolution 2 by someone unhappy with HD 13 in Sanders County, and it came as a shock to Lincoln County’s legislators.
The proposal would have sliced off half of HD 2, which I represent, and extended HD 13 north to include Troy and Yaak River country. HD 2 would have been restricted to northeast Lincoln County plus an area west and south of Whitefish.
Several other House districts and Senate districts would have been impacted in Lake, Flathead and Lincoln counties as well as Sanders County. It definitely would have weakened Lincoln County’s voice in Helena.
Before voting on HR 2, I made an amendment to eliminate the wording that could create the change. My amendment was approved. That leaves Lincoln County with only minor boundary changes to equalize populations between HD 1 and HD 2.
Senate District 1 covers both. At this writing, the Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission were to review HR 2 on Feb. 12, although few additional redistricting changes are anticipated. Find details at www.leg.mt.gov/districting.
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With the grizzly bear likely to be delisted from Endangered Species within a few years, I have a couple bills which will help reduce conflicts with livestock. HB 322 would revise laws related to livestock loss, and HB 323 would add grizzly bear livestock losses to the livestock-loss program.
Basically, the livestock owner will become eligible for loss compensation, and preventive funding will be made to reduce chances of livestock being attacked by grizzlies. This could include grants for projects like grizzly-resistant electrical fencing. HB 322 got held up in committee, but a few changes should move it forward this week.
This is similar to legislation I carried two years ago in regard to the wolf, which is now an important part of Montana’s wolf management plan after delisting.
My end game plan is ESA delisting of the grizzly statewide. Presently, the proposed delisting won’t apply to the Cabinet-Yaak area. Kootenai National Forest grizzly restrictions greatly inhibit commercial activity for both logging and mining. The grizzly population study to be completed this year should also help.
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I will be introducing a bill to keep the wood products revolving loan program in motion. It has benefited a number of logging and milling businesses. Money repaid from original loans will be recycled for other projects.
Lots more going on, and appropriations budgeting deadlines approach. My subcommittee has heard spending requests from departments of agriculture, livestock, environmental quality, natural resources and conservation, fish, wildlife, parks, and we hear from transportation later this week.
My committee leads the battle against Aquatic Invasive Species, along with four agencies and the governor. More as it develops.
In closing, wife JoAn drove over last Friday, and we attended the Governor’s Ball on Saturday night, quite a formal affair. Joe Roberts, former Lincoln County senator, and wife attended with us.
Joe Roberts, the son of Libby’s arch conservative Don Roberts, served as a Democrat but later turned to his father’s party. As I type this at my desk on the floor of the House Sunday afternoon, JoAn is driving home.
Seems like a short visit, but a very nice one. Monday, Feb. 11, was legislative day 30 out of 90 days scheduled for this 63rd Legislature.
Call me at 406-293-1247 or email mike@mcuffe.com.
Sorry, but sometimes I get behind with emails. I get lots of them.
—Mike Cuffe,
House District 2