The Session: Recent Episodes
Montana Public Radio, Montana Free Press, Yellowstone Public Radio
The campaign rhetoric, struggles for political power and results of the 2020 election converge in the 67th meeting of the Montana legislature. Join us for The Session, a breakdown of the latest action we’re watching in the Montana statehouse, produced by Montana Public Radio, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Free Press.
In a live event one week after the session adjourned, host Shaylee Ragar with Montana Public Radio digs into everything that lawmakers did—and didn't—get done in this year's legislative session with the MTPR and Montana Free Press reporters who covered all the major issues.
The session has officially adjourned. Host Shaylee Ragar with Montana Public Radio digs into what you need to know to make sense of the end of 69th Montana legislative session with Tom Lutey, Eric Dietrich, and Mara Silvers, all of Montana Free Press.
Host Shaylee Ragar with Montana Public Radio talks all things childcare and education with MTPR's Victoria Traxler and Alex Sakariassen of Montana Free Press as the legislative session inches closer and closer to Sine Die.
Montana Public Radio's Shaylee Ragar breaks down the latest on all things health at the legislature with MTFP's Mara Silvers.
It's time to talk money. Montana Public Radio's Shaylee Ragar breaks down all things budget and taxes with Montana Free Press's Eric Dietrich.
Host Shaylee Ragar and Montana Free Press's Tom Lutey and Zeke Lloyd break down two topics burning away in the legislature: judiciary reform and wildfires.
Host Shaylee Ragar sits down with Montana Free Press's Mara Silvers and Nora Mabie to talk over legislation that could impact the Montana State Hospital, Indigenous children in Montana, and the future of doulas in the state.
Host Shaylee Ragar talks the first half of the session and what comes next with Democratic House Minority Leader Katie Sullivan.
Shaylee Ragar sits down with Republican Senate President Matt Regier to discuss the first half of the session, policy lawmakers are considering, and what comes next.
As lawmakers approach a much-needed break, host Shaylee Ragar breaks down the pre-transmittal marathon of hearings—along with how state politics fits in with national discourse—with Tom Lutey and Eric Dietrich of Montana Free Press.
This week, host Shaylee Ragar goes over the American Indian Caucus's bills——including a couple that have been blasted back into action after being tabled in committee—with Montana Free Press and ICT's Kaiden Forman-Webster. She also breaks down the latest developments on property tax legislation with Eric Dietrich, also with Montana Free Press.
Montana Free Press's Tom Lutey and Montana Public Radio's Austin Amestory detail newly developing and unexpected coalitions in the Senate—and the dramatic sessions they inspire—along with education policy that could impact the state's public and private schools alike.
Montana Public Radio and Montana Free Press Reporters Ellis Juhlin and Amanda Eggert break down the major environmental flashpoints emerging at this year's legislative session with host Shaylee Ragar. In particular, they dig into bills around wolves and the controversy around the Montana Environmental Policy Act, incited by the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Held v. Montana case.
Host Shaylee Ragar sits down with Montana Free Press's Mara Silvers and Eric Dietrich to get into the latest flareup of drama in the Senate, abortion policy after CI-128, and a new tool to track legislation from MTFP.
Over a month in to the 2025 legislative session, and lawmaking is well under way. Host Shaylee Ragar and reporters Tom Lutey and Mara Silvers of Montana Free Press break down an ethics investigation derailing business in the Senate and bills related to transgender Montanans that seem to be forging ahead despite that stalling.
As Montana's legislative session closes out it's third week and approaches a month of lawmaking, Host Shaylee Ragar and reporters Mara Silvers and Eric Dietrich dig into policy. As legislators throw spaghetti at the wall to see what will make it through committee, the three discuss the specifics of debates over Medicaid expansion and property tax relief.
Host Shaylee Ragar discusses tech issues at the Capitol with reporters Austin Amestoy and Zeke Lloyd. They break down what that means for how the public and reporters alike can follow and engage with the action in Helena, along with the bigger picture of public comment during committee meetings and a new development on legislative junque files.
The 69th Montana Legislature is officially under way. This week, host Shaylee Ragar and reporters Tom Lutey and Mara Silvers dig in to how the—literal and metaphorical—sausage gets made and what an early GOP divide could mean for the rest of the session.
The Session is back for the 69th Montana Legislature. This week, we preview lawmakers work that starts January 6. Reporters talk about new party leaders, legislative rules, and how the governor wants to spend public money.
The 2025 Montana Legislature elected by voters in November will meet in January to consider new laws and develop a two-year state budget. Already, it’s clear what some of the key issues of the session will be — among them housing affordability, tax policy, education funding and the potential renewal of Montana’s expanded Medicaid health coverage program. The Session podcast team took some time at the inaugural Montana Free Press Fest, held in Missoula Sept. 6-8, to sit down and discuss what we can see about next year’s legislative session from here in front of a live audience.
There are only a few days left in the 2023 legislative session. The recent decision to ban Missoula Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr from the House floor derailed legislative business. Host Mara Silvers and reporters Shaylee Ragar, Eric Dietrich and Amanda Eggert discuss what to expect in the final days of the session and the last minute deals on the budget and housing policy.
Join us for a live recording of The Session May 10 at 7 p.m. as we discuss the major developments from the 2023 session and what lies ahead for the laws created in the statehouse these last few months.
Save your virtual seat here and submit your questions about the 68th legislative session using this survey link.
As the 2023 legislative session sprints to the finish line, tensions are running high over bills targeting transgender Montanans and environmental regulation. Host Corin Cates-Carney and reporters Arren Kimbel-Sannit, Ellis Juhlin, and Mara Silvers discuss what to expect in the final days of the legislature as lawmakers scramble to reach sine die.
Host Nadya Faulx and reporters Shaylee Ragar, Eric Dietrich, and Alex Sakariassen discuss lawmakers finding agreement to advance housing zoning policy, the unclear future on housing subsidies, dueling visions of what school choice policy should look like in Montana and legislative staff working thousands of hours of overtime to keep up with all the bills.
Last week was another major deadline for lawmakers to pass bills out of one house and send them to the other. We saw hundreds of bills move through both chambers, and saw a push from lawmakers to introduce new legislation in time to meet that deadline, including some that opponents say would have a "chilling" effect on legal challenges to state decisions, and one that would create a jungle primary in Montana -- but for only one race.
As we enter the home stretch of the 2023 legislative session, Republican lawmakers have proposed a slew of constitutional amendments ahead of a looming deadline. At the same time, lawmakers are debating measures to address the affordable housing crisis in the state and proposing rules about what local governments should and shouldn't be able to do about climate change.
Montana Public Radio's Corin Cates-Carney talks about all these measures and more with Montana Free Press's Arren Kimbel-Sannit, Eric Dietrich, and Amanda Eggert, and Yellowstone Public Radio's Kayla Desroches.
A 14 billion dollar budget passed out of the Montana House with support from the Republican supermajority. Democrats don’t have the power to change it, but they still tried.
Host Nadya Faulx and reporters Eric Dietrich, Ellis Juhlin, and Arren Kimbel-Sannit discuss the debate over how the state should spend tax dollars.
The spending plan calls for a deal to send state inmates to an out-of-state private prison.
And a package of legislation could change how and where people can hunt elk.
More legislative coverage:
Budget bill clears House debate with GOP support, Democratic critique
What to know about the budget bill moving through the Legislature
Reporters Shaylee Ragar and Keely Larson join host Mara Silvers to discuss how lawmakers have been digging into funding healthcare, as well as lingering impacts of the pandemic when it comes childcare legislation and vaccine bills.
Hundreds of bills were left on the cutting room floor at the legislative session's midway point. Now, as lawmakers head into the second half, they're turning more of their attention to finalizing the state’s next two-year budget.
Host Corin Cates-Carney and reporters Ellis Juhlin and Eric Dietrich discuss what they're watching now that the Legislature has rounded the critical transmittal break.
On March 8, The Session team hosted a live event answering audience questions about the 68th meeting of the Montana legislature. The panel, featuring host Corin Cates-Carney and reporters Mara Silvers, Eric Dietrich, Shaylee Ragar, Ellis Juhlin, and Arren Kimbel-Sannit, has been edited for the podcast.
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.
Join us for this free, digital-only event on March 8 at 7:00 p.m. as reporters and editors from Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio, and Yellowstone Public Radio discuss the major developments from the Montana Legislature’s first 45 days and look ahead toward the second half of the session. We’ll also be answering your submitted questions.
Submit your questions about the 68th legislative session using this survey link
This week, reporters JoVonne Wagner, Eric Dietrich, and Shaylee Ragar join host Nadya Faulx to discuss the defeat of a bill that would have established Indigenous Peoples Day in Montana — and what’s next for the lawmakers who introduced it — along with debates over property taxes and redrawing legislative districts.
Host Mara Silvers and reporters Arren Kimbel-Sannit, Shaylee Ragar, and Eric Dietrich discuss what legislation moving forward could mean for injunctions and the judiciary, what lawmakers have in store for the state's $2.5 billion budget surplus, and what those plans mean for everyday Montanans.
Governor Greg Gianforte delivers a State of the State address that focuses on economic growth but lawmakers are turning their attention to social issues.
Host Nadya Faulx and reporters Shaylee Ragar, Mara Silvers, and Austin Amestoy discuss the governor’s State of the State speech, debate over transgender rights and abortion, and why the state is asking for more money to defend laws in court.
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.
Montana lawmakers take their oaths of office and begin their work in the state capitol.
Host Nadya Faulx and reporters Shaylee Ragar, Ellis Juhlin, and Arren Kimbel-Sannit discuss a rules debate that's dividing the GOP, how moderate Republicans are working with Democrats, a Montana Freedom Caucus, and the beginnings of the state budget.
With the 2022 election over, Republicans hold power not seen in the state capitol in nearly a century. The governor has released his budget. Lawmakers have elected leadership and will arrive in Helena on Jan. 2 to begin their work. Host Corin Cates-Carney and reporters Shaylee Ragar, Eric Dietrich, Ellis Juhlin, and Arren Kimbel-Sannit discuss last week’s legislative caucuses, how the governor hopes for the state to spend its money, and what to expect in the upcoming legislative session.
The 67th session of the Montana Legislature adjourned sine die Thursday, April 29.
During lawmakers’ 80 days of work, 1,313 bills were introduced and as of mid-day Friday at least 302 had been signed into law.
In the final episode of The Session, Reporters from Montana Free Press, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Public Radio break down the outcomes.
As of mid-day Friday, 1,313 bills have been introduced and at least 267 have been signed into law.
This week we’re watching how the Republican majority is spending their mandate from voters as the session is winding down and last-minute legislation.
Committee chairs and legislative leaders have said this may be the final week of the 67th session of the Montana Legislature. Big pieces of policy remain on the table, like the state budget, how lawmakers will divvy up federal coronavirus relief funds, the regulatory and tax mechanism for recreational marijuana, and GOP priorities with social policy and tax cuts.
As of mid-day Friday, 1,297 bills have been introduced and at least 197 have been signed into law.
This week we’re watching a mounting dispute over separation of powers between the Legislature and the Montana Supreme Court. We’re also watching the debate on a bill that would incentivize the state’s largest utility to buy more of the Colstrip coal-fired power plant.
As of mid-day Friday, 1,282 bills had been introduced and at least 153 had been signed into law.
This week we’re watching the ideological split within the GOP over adult-use marijuana taxes, proposed changes to social safety net eligibility and parental rights.
As of mid-day Friday, 1,271 bills had been introduced and at least 135 had been signed into law.
Major questions remain over new taxes cuts, funding state agencies, what to do with federal stimulus and recreational marijuana. Much of this work is under a Thursday deadline for appropriation and revenue bills, including regulations for marijuana, to move from one chamber to the other.
The federal stimulus in the American Rescue Plan Act has given lawmakers a lot more money to work with this session. Legislators are making plans for how to spend more than $2 billion in a bill nicknamed ‘the beast,’ which has passed the House and is now in the Senate.
As of mid-day Friday, 1,237 bills had been introduced and at least 74 had been signed into law. We’re hitting the time of the session when more are on the way.
This week we’re watching the legal marijuana bill take shape, lawmakers consider the former governor’s district court judge nominees and proposals to change elections in the state.
As of mid-day Friday, 1,183 bills have been introduced, 60 have been signed into law.
This week we’re watching the state budget, recreational marijuana and bills that would carry impacts for LGBTQ people.
As of mid-day Friday, 1,148 bills had been introduced and Gov. Greg Gianforte 54 had been signed into law.
This week we’re starting to see the state budget take shape, recreational marijuana regulations are coming soon, and Democrats try again with tax changes as Republican plans move forward.
As of mid-day, Thursday, 1,121 had been introduced and Gov. Greg Gianforte had signed 38 bills into law.
This week we’re breaking down what made it past the transmittal deadline, what failed and where the session is going next.
As of midday Friday, Feb. 26, 1,128 bills had been introduced and Gov. Greg Gianforte had signed 28 into law.
Lawmakers who want to pass general policy bills have until Wednesday, March 3 to get them from one house to the other.
This week, we’re keeping an eye on key bills in the balance. If these laws don't make it past their first chamber before the mid-session break, they're likely dead.
As of mid-day Friday, Feb. 19, 918 bills had been introduced and Gov. Greg Gianforte had signed three bills into law. This week we’re watching legislation on tax policy, public health and labor unions.
As of mid-day Friday 731 bills have been introduced, and Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed 2 bills into law. This week, we’re watching bills about vaccines, Colstrip, and public assistance programs.
As of mid-day Friday, 594 bills had been introduced and Gov. Greg Gianforte had signed one bill into law. This week, we’re watching bills that would cut taxes, implement “right to work” policies and end same-day voter registration in Montana.
As of midday Jan. 29, 490 bills have been introduced, and there’s one bill on Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk. This week, we’re watching bills to make tribes pay more property taxes, make interim committees partisan, and expedite court hearings for child protective cases.
As of mid-day Jan. 22, 375 bills have been introduced, one bill has become law. This week, we’re watching policy that could impact housing, voting, teacher pay.
As of Jan. 15, 296 bills have been introduced and none have been signed into law. This week, we're watching how lawmakers are proposing to change the role of public health officials, how the state is addressing missing Indigenous persons, and how the riot in D.C. could have ripple effects in Montana.
As of midday Jan. 8, 234 bills have been introduced and none have yet been signed into law. We're expecting to see policy priorities introduced this week that will set the tone for the rest of the 90-day session. This week, we're watching a couple of different bills about gender, guns and COVID-19.
The campaign rhetoric, struggles for political power and results of the 2020 election converge in the 67th meeting of the Montana legislature. Join us for The Session, a breakdown of the latest action we’re watching in the Montana statehouse, produced by Montana Public Radio, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Free Press.