Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed two pandemic-related public health bills Friday, calling them redundant.
One of the bills would have allowed citizen initiatives to amend or appeal local health board actions. In his veto, Gov. Gianforte said other legislation accomplished the goal of limiting what he called “isolated instances of overreach by local public officials during the pandemic.”
Gianforte cited one new law that gives local elected officials oversight of health officers and local boards of public health. Another prohibits local public health orders that would require businesses to turn away customers.
Gianforte also vetoed a bill that would have established a commission examining whether state and local restrictions or suspension of laws and regulations during the pandemic benefited Montanans. Gianforte said his administration is already examining every state agency with an eye toward eliminating “excessive, outdated and unnecessary regulations.”
