House District 9
How Did Our Representative Vote Last Session?
HB 15- Voted No
Implement K-12 Inflations
Our representative voted against inflationary adjustments to K-12 public education.
This bill requires the state to adjust for inflation to school funding formulas, supporting operational costs, teacher salaries and class room sources.
It was passed in to law, even though our representative voted against it.
His quote about teachers:
teachers “get back to teaching and not be distracted with promoting social issues or enabling students to behave contrary to parents’ wishes.”
HB 231-Voted No
Revise Property Tax Rates
Our representative voted against lower tax rates on owner qualified homes and for owner occupied residential properties and long term rentals. It also allowed a rebate to those who own a principal residence.
It was passed in to law, even though our representative voted against it.
HB 912- Sponsored Bill
Generally revise behavioral health laws to create secure forensic facility
Our representative sponsored this bill.
He wanted to create a facility to house 70 people who are found guilty of a crime or are either mentally ill or waiting determination of mental illness. This would have come at the cost of $30,000,000 tax payer dollars.
It died in the Senate.
HB 273- Voted No
Limit collection action for Medical Debt
This bill would have required a wait time and notice before your debt for health care services went into collections.
It also limited a collection action when an insurance denial is being appealled.
Our representative was on the Health and Human Services Committee. If this bill passed the committee vote it would have moved on to the House for a vote. He voted against it, this bill died in the committee.
HB 782- Sponsored Bill
Revise County Planning Boards
Our representative voted in favor of changing our law ( MCA 76-1-211) so that counties could remove the requirement that a county must have conservation district representation on the county planning board.
Other sponsors include four other Flathead County state representatives including Courtney Sprunger, Lukas Schubert and Braxton Mitchell and Ed Byrne.
This bill dies in process and was tabled in committee
Follow the Money
PAC Money
Our representative has accepted donations from the following PACS:
Montana Bankers PAC
Montana Electric Cooperative PAC
The Cigna Group Employee PAC
BNSF Rail PAC
Montana RPAC ( MT realators)
He has received a total of 6 individual donations.
It is good to question, does he vote for our best interest or the best interest of his donors?
Montana Data Centers
The following State Representatives have accepted donations from Dave Sabey owner of Sabey Data Centers.
Although they withdrew from the Butte area they are still looking to find a place to put an AI Data Center in Montana.
Steve Kelly - Flathead County HD9
Terry Falk -Flathead County HD10
Courtney Sprunger -Flathead County HD7
Braxton Mitchell -Flathead County HD5
Edward Bryne - Flathead County HD11
Amy Regier - Flathead County SD4
Lynn Bennett Flathead County HD4
Mark Nolan - Flathead County SD5
Kate Zolnikov- Billings HD44
Daniel Zolnikov -Billings SD22
Kenneth Walsh -Southwest MT- HD69
Steven Fitzpatrick Great Falls -SD10
Linda Reksten - Polson HD 13
Garry Parry HD35
ISSUES
McLaughlin For Montana
Demand that Families Be Put First
Every triumph working families ever made, whether it child labor protections, 8 hour workday, minimum wage, or weekends off came because we demanded change. It is time again to start demanding family security: a liveable wage, lower cost of living, affordable health policies, rights for women, childcare/eldercare, and education.
EDUCATION
My sons have all attended Flathead High School. I believe it is very important to continue education to be a place that builds skills ( kids can learn construction, various art mediums, music, welding and other skills). Students are encouraged to excel and push themselves towards higher education ( IB Program, partnership with Running Start FVCC).
I attended public school, both my in-laws were teachers and I have friends and family who are currently teaching. Our education system should support the teachers that work there, ensure buildings that are safe and have adequate space. Legislation can create a school funding formula to allocate money to provide what our Montana Constitution states: “Equality of educational opportunity is guaranteed to each person of the state”. Your zip code should not reflect the value of education your children receive.
ENVIRONMENT
The majority of HD9 is public lands (81%) which totals about 54,938 acres of land which is managed by various agencies including: County government, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks, MT State Trust Lands, US Fish and Wildlife Service and US Forest Service. This land includes seven recreation sites: Smith Lake, Somers Fishing Access, Lone Pine State Park, Somers Beach State Park, Herron Park and Foys Lake Park.
We are very fortunate to have this land available and belong to all of us. These areas give us places to swim, fish, hike, hunt, boat, sled and ice skate, among other things.
The Montana Constitution guarantees our right to a clean and healthful environment. I support a moratorium on data centers in this state until we can study from other states the effects of the water usage, electricity increases to residents, noise and air pollution. I also support alternative energy sources to reduce our use on a finite source of energy. I also oppose corporations from other countries coming in to mine our Montana resources.
HEALTHCARE
25% of Flathead County is enrolled in Medicaid. The medicaid expansion program funded through federal dollars continues behavioral health services, and substance use disorder treatment, it also allows seniors to receive long term care.
Continuing Medicaid expansion also keeps Logan Health ( now merged with Billings Clinic) to provide care for our community. In a Flathead Beacon article they reported " The failure to reauthorize Medicaid expansion would impact 7,500 statewide jobs ... and $775 million in economic activity that it generates.
Montana medicaid has grown to include home births, which helps in keeping costs down, as the average hospital birth is $11,000. Montana also faces many areas without close access to maternal care and many rural area clinics are in danger of closing. I support home births and home care for elders in their own homes, but we face a serious lack of healthcare workers in these areas which needs to be addressed.
Unity
Montana's strength has always come from its families, it's strong local economies, it's relations with tribal nations and its willingness to come together in times of difficulty. This campaign is a call to embrace humanity, fairness and responsibility to one another. The answer is simple: prioritize families, their economy, and unite around shared goals.
McLaughlin For Montana (D)
175 Hutton Ranch Rd. Ste 103 #315
Kalispell, MT 59901
