HELENA, MT– Americans for Prosperity-Montana (AFP-MT) today released its annual legislative scorecard, a report detailing votes and policy alignment for members of the Montana Legislature.
The report highlights policy champions fighting for more freedom and opportunity and reveals which lawmakers failed to deliver for Montanans.
The full 2023 Legislative Scorecard is available HERE.
Americans for Prosperity-Montana Legislative Director Henry Kriegel released the following statement:
“The 2023 legislative scorecard highlights the tremendous success of the Montana legislature in passing reforms that will directly impact the lives of countless Montanans.
“This year, AFP-MT focused efforts on a variety of issues from regulatory reforms, educational freedom to protecting free speech on university campuses.
“The hard-earned victories of the 2023 legislative session are the result of a relentless under-the-dome effort supported by countless activists, community leaders, and organizations that work with lawmakers coming together to pass reforms that get the government out of the way of Montanans.”
Tax Reform
- HB 212: Increase business equipment tax exemption from $300,000 to $1,000,000. A good policy for capital investment in Montana.
- SB 121: Reduces the state’s top-bracket marginal tax rate from 6.5% to 5.9%. Increases Montana EITC credit from 3% of the federal credit to 10% of the federal credit.
K-12 Education Freedom and Reform
- HB203: open enrollment that allows students to enroll in a neighboring school district.
- HB396: partial enrollment bill allowing homeschool students to enroll in public school classes;
- HB 393, a special needs Education Savings Accounts bill empowering parents to choose the best education for their child’s unique needs.
- HB562: community choice charter school bill that allows for local autonomy and innovation on a more permissionless basis
- HB408: more than doubled the Tax Credit Scholarship program
Housing and Zoning Reform
- SB323: Building of duplexes where single-family zoning.
- SB528: Building of Accessory Dwelling Unit on a more permissionless basis.
- SB245: Right to build multifamily or multi-use housing on existing commercial or retail zones.
- SB382: Requirement for cities to plan for growth and streamline the permitting process.
Healthcare Reform (with a strong “personal option” focus)
- SB313: Enables physician assistants to practice independently after completing four years of a supervisory agreement.
- SB112, SB100, SB101 HB392: Increased scope of practice.
- HB376: Patient Bill of Rights to secure a wide range of rights for patients.
- HB706: Medical Free Speech bill to protect the free speech of medical practitioners while protecting the right of free association.
Criminal Justice Reform
- SB11: Data Transparency bill that establishes a uniform and anonymized data collection system that captures relevant justice system data, and actively reports individualized data to key stakeholders and the public.
Economic Progress/Energy
- HB971: a bill that revised the environmental policy act, allows the Laurel, Montana plant to produce clean natural gas, reduces energy costs and saves and provides good-paying jobs for 250 people. Bill reduces red tape and creates more energy for Montanans throughout the state. The bill also prevented judges from legislating from the bench to block energy development.
Technology
- SB397: Revises laws related to privacy and facial recognition technology.
- SB370: Revises uniform commercial code.