Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
We're working to fix a technical issue causing problems with our broadcasts. We'll have it resolved as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Bill For New High Schools Resuscitated

Jeff Essmann, chairman of the Montana Republican Party.
Courtesy Montana Legislature

A bill to allow residents in some elementary school districts to vote on building and operating new high schools will now face a third and final vote in the House.

Currently the bill affects the elementary districts of Missoula Hellgate, East Helena, and Lockwood near Billings.

  It had been tabled in the House Appropriations committee, but it was successfully blasted to the floor today.

Representative Jeff Essmann of Billings says while the bill currently has no fiscal impact, in three years it could cost nine million dollars.

"That’s what’s on the fiscal note," said Essman. "If you care about the long term financial impact of this bill on our schools this bill requires more study in order to deal with that element. It died in Appropriations and it should stay dead there."

But supporters of this bill say that financial impact is premature.

Representative Debra Lamm of Livingston says it's about local control.

"This is simply about giving people a voice," said Lamm. 'There are thousands of people in this state that simply want to vote on whether to tax themselves in order to expand for a high school." 

During the hearings, superintendents from Missoula, Helena, and Billings testified against the bill saying it

Debra Lamm was recently elected as chair of the Montana GOP.
Representative Debra Lamm (R) HD 60

has the potential to take away students and dollars from existing schools.

The House gave preliminary approval to Senate Bill 107 on a 50-to-49 vote before it was tabled in Appropriations. Now that it has been blasted to the floor it faces a third and final vote tomorrow.

Eric Whitney is NPR's Mountain West/Great Plains Bureau Chief, and was the former news director for Montana Public Radio.
Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information
Related Content