Montana HB - 462: Worth your time Marijuana Taxes & Access

[mtnkid85]

Yea, again. We need to also remember some of these folks aren't in the conservation world like we are. Alot of us eat, sleep, dream hunting, fishing,conservation. The circles we run in where had alot of discussion surrounding I190s tie to HM funding.
But to some of these reps, this is only about marijunauna, they have never considered the idea that people actually voted for it (some of us who may have otherwise voted against it) specifically to fund HM. It is really important that they hear from those of us who did. Good job for getting involved Otter82!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Keep you messages tight to the committee for now, but be ready to talk with your local legislator if this comes out of committee. Over the next couple of weeks, legislators are going to be inundated with a ton of messages about hundreds of bills. We're hearing from legislators who are not on the Appropriations committee that sending notes to them on this doesn't help just yet, so keep that powder dry for now. Too much pressure cn have the opposite effect especially in high-pressure situations like this, right before transmittal.

Do keep sending polite notes to the Gov's office as well. There is a surplus of $2.6 billion in the bank. Robbing Habitat MT to pay for other programs is a false choice.

 

[Don Fischer]

Seem's silly to talk about drug use. I think all drugs should be legal. Catch is whatever you do while on them, you are responsible for and if you use drugs you are not eligable for any tax payer money for help in any way. If on drugs and you threaten someone and get shot, tuff luck, ya had it comming! You and only you are responsible for the things you do! Oh yea. Caught giving drugs to a minor and convicted of it, mandatory death penality!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Here's another kick in the nuts by Rep. Mercer. It removes all funding for conservation in it's entirety, as well as eliminates funding for veterans and such and simply gives it to the HEART fund, which has only spent about $500K of the currently appropriated $6million, and then sends the rest to the general fund. The hearing is set for tomorrow, 2/23/2023

LAWS Detailed Bill Information Page

laws.leg.mt.gov

 

[Rhinocesaurus]

Here's another kick in the nuts by Rep. Mercer. It removes all funding for conservation in it's entirety, as well as eliminates funding for veterans and such and simply gives it to the HEART fund, which has only spent about $500K of the currently appropriated $6million, and then sends the rest to the general fund. The hearing is set for tomorrow, 2/23/2023

LAWS Detailed Bill Information Page

laws.leg.mt.gov

What the hell is this guys deal?

 

[sacountry]

Here's another kick in the nuts by Rep. Mercer. It removes all funding for conservation in it's entirety, as well as eliminates funding for veterans and such and simply gives it to the HEART fund, which has only spent about $500K of the currently appropriated $6million, and then sends the rest to the general fund. The hearing is set for tomorrow, 2/23/2023

LAWS Detailed Bill Information Page

laws.leg.mt.gov

Ben, do you think Mercer's amendments are a highly calculated move by GG? I can only imagine what the hearing would have been like had Mercer's amendments been submitted prior to public comment. All those vets would have been up in arms.

 

[Nameless Range]

Marta Bertoglio, the Bill's sponsor, put an oped in the local paper defending her bill. In it, she says,

"As can happen in the legislative session, I think the “headline” of the bill has been hijacked to say that we are “gutting” Habitat Montana, and that is not the case. HB 462 does not eliminate marijuana funds going to Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP). In the spirit of the initiative, HB 462 not only keeps funds going to FWP for the programs that need funding the most but increases the amount of funding these programs receive - $3.2M (and growing) goes to Parks; $3.2M (and growing) goes to Trails; and $3.2M (and growing) goes to NonGame programs on an annual basis. "

Wonder what she thinks now?

Bertoglio in support of marijuana tax reallocation

As the Legislature moves into the two weeks prior to the transmittal deadline, around 200 bills have been added to our schedules. It will be quite busy.

www.boulder-monitor.com

 

[Ben Lamb]

Ben, do you think Mercer's amendments are a highly calculated move by GG? I can only imagine what the hearing would have been like had Mercer's amendments been submitted prior to public comment. All those vets would have been up in arms.

Not sure. Rep. Mercer oftentimes heads out on his own on a variety of stuff.

He may simply be making a point that what the legislature giveth, it can take away. Given his line of questioning last week relative to the "will of the voters," and a preponderance of legislators who view their will as the only will to be followed, it could be a combination of things. I've not yet had a chance to talk with him. I kinda like a guy with balls that big though.

 

[Jock Conyngham]

I’m interested in Ben’s take, but it seems to me that Bertoglio is deflecting—her bill would take away the majority of Habitat Montana’s funding and permanently prevent support from the growing marijuana tax revenues (nearly twice what was projected a few years ago)—so “gutting” seems fair.

I don’t know what Mercer is up to. If he want to ignore the values of voters who thought half the revenues would go to conservation, that fine, and that’s what he is doing. They were not assuming to determine funding lines, but they were indicating their values.

The fact is that multiple overlapping bills have the effect of distracting and exhausting opponents, so the Bannon flood-the-field-with-chit angle might be part of the plan. In fact, I would be surprised if it isn’t. I’m commenting right now on SB 388 (non-res bird hunting licenses), HB 669 (Mercer), and SB 298 (crossbows). Hooray for the online comment software that sends messages to an entire committee:

- Montana State Legislature

leg.mt.gov

 

[sacountry]

Not sure. Rep. Mercer oftentimes heads out on his own on a variety of stuff.

He may simply be making a point that what the legislature giveth, it can take away. Given his line of questioning last week relative to the "will of the voters," and a preponderance of legislators who view their will as the only will to be followed, it could be a combination of things. I've not yet had a chance to talk with him. I kinda like a guy with balls that big though.

I kinda like a guy with balls that big though. - NOT sig worthy

 

[Ben Lamb]

And the third bill arrives: http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/LAW02...P_ENTY_ID_SEQ2=&P_SBJT_SBJ_CD=&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ=

This one would take the Habitat Montana funds for county roads.

 

[sacountry]

And the third bill arrives: http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/LAW02...P_ENTY_ID_SEQ2=&P_SBJT_SBJ_CD=&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ=

This one would take the Habitat Montana funds for county roads.

Does the left hand know what the right hand is doing? If HB469 kills Habitat Montana, where's the money from for SB 442 going to come from?????

 

[Jock Conyngham]

To give in to jadedness, I doubt they give a chit which alternative gets the dough as long as they kill Habitat Montana. It’s like a bunch of road hunters opening up on a distant elk; long as it goes down in the barrage, they are good.

What other FWP program has multiple other bills trying to eviscerate it?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Does the left hand know what the right hand is doing? If HB469 kills Habitat Montana, where's the money from for SB 442 going to come from?????

Transmittal week is not for the feint of heart.

Nor is it for consistency.

 

[sacountry]

Transmittal week is not for the feint of heart.

Nor is it for consistency.

sounds more like transhittal week. Sometimes the nice, cool feel of sand around my head is quite comforting.

 

[Dakotakid]

It looks like this one died but there are several other bills seeking to pilfer the funds.

 

[Ben Lamb]

It looks like this one died but there are several other bills seeking to pilfer the funds.

HB 669 has passed the House and is headed to Senate Finance and Claims. SB 442 was amended into a good bill and passed the Senate 49-1. It will be in House Tax likely.next week.

 

[Jock Conyngham]

It looks like this one died but there are several other bills seeking to pilfer the funds.

Right you are, and people should consider speaking out against HB 669, but SB 442 has been amended to maintain the Habitat Montana funding and now deserves hunters’ full support.

 

[ONESHOTPETE]

myself and many others are handi-capped and 70 some years of age we can no longer draw a bow but x-bows are illegal in Montana , but its more important to legalize Marijuana / pot ? really ? WTF ?

 

[mtmiller]

Illegal?