Rep. Regier provides a legislature update

The 63rd Montana Legislature finished its fifth week. The House has had hearings on about 20 fewer bills than at this time last session.

One of the big issues that the legislature has to deal with this session is the state pension systems’ unfunded liability of around $4 billion. There have been more than 20 bills introduced that deal with pensions, and 28 bill draft requests that also address pensions.

With this high number of bills and the enormity of the financial liability, the House and Senate leadership decided to form a Joint Select Committee on Pensions. This committee is charged with hearing all bills that deal with state pensions and hopefully find a solution to the unfunded liability problem.

This committee is made up of six House members and six Senate members. Northwest Montana representation on this board is Rep. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, and me.

Some bills of interest to the Flathead Valley that passed the House in the last two weeks are House Bills 239, 49, 27 and 206.

HB 239 is titled “Define scope/boundaries of human sexuality/reproduction educationK-12.” This bill would make it so parents would need to “opt in” for their child to take a sex education class in public schools. It passed its third reading with a 56-41 vote.

HB 49 is titled “Exempt military pensions from state income tax.” This bill would exempt military pension or retirement income received from the armed forces of the United States from state income tax. It passed its third reading with a 57-43 vote.

HB 27 is titled “Authorize the use of sound suppressors while hunting certain large predators.” This bill would allow the use of a sound suppressor while hunting wolves after general deer and elk season. A sound suppressor lowers the decibel level of the weapon and should not be confused with silencers that are portrayed in movies. It passed its third reading with a 63-33 vote.

HB 206 is titled “Increase justice court and small claims court filing fees.” This bill will change the fee to be paid by the plaintiff when a complaint is filed from $25 to $30 in 2013, $35 in 2014 and $40 in 2015 and subsequent years. It also raised the defendant fee from $10 to $20 and the prevailing party fee when a judgment is rendered from $10 to $20. These fees have not been adjusted since 1989. It passed its third reading with an 88-10 vote.

These bills are now being sent to the Senate. You can contact your senator with your views on these bills as well as view the full text of the bills by going to www.leg.mt.gov.

Rep. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, represents House District 5, rural south Columbia Falls.