Shaylee Ragar

Montana’s top attorney will lead the Republican effort to elect more conservative attorneys general next year. State officials are looking for a site in Laurel to build a new mental health facility for criminal defendants.

State higher education officials have changed the eligibility requirements for Montana’s American Indian Tuition Waiver. Starting next fall, blood quantum will no longer count toward eligibility.

A district court judge has ordered the state to allow for nonbinary designations on state driver’s licenses. The order follows back-and-forth disagreements between state officials.

The Montana Heritage Center in Helena is now open. The expansion of the state’s history and art museum was in the works for decades. The museum is a sensory-rich experience including sights, sounds and smells.

The state Board of Housing Wednesday announced nearly $40 million in federal tax benefits to build or rehabilitate affordable homes; The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold its biannual season-setting meeting for big game species from elk to bison to mountain lions on December 4; Billings has a new representative in the state Legislature.

The 2026 general election is just about a year away. The races for Montana’s U.S. Senate and House seats are taking shape. Three Montana Democrats join the race to challenge Sen. Daines. The U.S. House races feature veterans, ranchers and political newcomers.

The state’s new home for tens of thousands of historical artifacts will soon open to the public. The Montana Heritage Center is decades in the making, and features art galleries, a research center and interactive exhibits – including a simulated mine shaft. Montana Public Radio’s Shaylee Ragar joined a preview tour and has more.

State wildlife officials are investigating a black bear cub’s death near Stevensville. According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the cub was shot and left to waste on U.S. Forest Service land off of St. Mary Peak Road. The Montana Department of Transportation is reminding pedestrians and drivers to be extra cautious during the holidays. According to the agency, Thanksgiving week is the deadliest holiday period in Montana for traffic accidents.

A new commission charged with evaluating the state’s judges met for the first time Wednesday. Its conception was part of a broader push by GOP lawmakers to further regulate the judicial branch.

A proposed ballot initiative to keep Montana’s judicial elections nonpartisan is advancing after the state Supreme Court ruled that the attorney general overstepped by rewriting the measure.