Overturn the veto of HB 100

I am asking your readers to ask legislators to vote to overturn the veto of HB 100. The bill was requested by the Legislative Council, an administrative committee with a mission to preserve the integrity of the legislative branch as an equal branch of government.

HB 100 provides 180 days for legislators to object to a recently adopted rule because it is inconsistent with statute. HB 100 passed with a unanimous vote in the Senate and 67 to 32 in the House. Yet the Majority Whip notified me of the intent to vote to override veto of HB 100.

My personal example illustrating the need for HB 100 is as follows:

-A hearing was held on Administrative Rule of Montana (ARM) that proposed to implement new legislation.

-A legislative staff attorney, Jaret Coles, sent an e-mail to Laurie Logan, rule reviewer for Montana Department of Revenue, expressing concern that ARM was inconsistent with legislation.

-Montana Department of Revenue amended the proposed ARM and adopted it at the same time.

-Final proposed ARM remained inconsistent with legislation yet was adopted in relatively short time and without an additional hearing.

-A legislative attorney notified legislators that it was too late to object to ARM since it had been adopted and objections were only allowed on proposed rules.

—James C. Wangerin

Deer Lodge