Lola Sheldon-Galloway

Republicans try to silence transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr. Anti-trans bills are on their way to becoming law. Lawmakers table a bill to create a one-time "jungle primary" in next year's Senate race. The defeat of that bill may have political fallout for Senator Steve Daines.

Abortion in Montana could be severely limited if a slew of bills headed to the governor's desk become law. Montana's attorney general intervenes in a lawsuit to ban an abortion pill. Another bill seeks to answer the question of whether religious freedom protects bigoted speech. And lawmakers hope more money will help fix problems at the Warm Springs state hospital.

Reporters Mara Silvers and Shaylee Ragar discuss this week's deadline for lawmakers to pass general bills out of their original chamber. There’s a lot of policy to consider, including rules about access to abortion.

A 1995 state Supreme Court decision found that the state must cover abortions for Medicaid patients when “medically necessary.” Republican Rep. Jane Gillette from Bozeman is bringing a bill to require those patients and doctors to submit extensive paperwork to show an abortion is medically necessary in order to get prior authorization.

Bills to reform Montana tax policy, support missing persons search efforts and overhaul Child Protective Services move through the Legislature. Host Mara Silvers and reporters Ellis Juhlin and Shaylee Ragar discuss the legislation they're watching this week — along with the schisms between and within the parties that are starting to form.

Two bills addressing the issue of missing persons in Montana passed out of the House floor Wednesday, and will now move on to the Senate.

There were nearly 2,000 reports of missing persons in Montana last year. Two bills aimed at addressing this issue are nearing passage in the House.

The state constitution says the right of privacy is essential to the well being of a free society. Privacy affects issues from electronic data to abortion, and has come into play in decisions by the state Supreme Court. So why did Montana end up with such strong privacy protections and why does it matter today?

Montana Republicans are zeroed in on the races for two state Supreme Court seats this election cycle which could decide the future of access to abortion in Montana.

Republicans have two main options if they move to ban abortion in Montana – they can enact a law that will most likely be challenged in the courts, or they can push for a constitutional referendum to change the state’s bill of rights, which would then have to go before voters.