[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6277103,"mediaKeyId","2657754-2ca663358ef96c2a58a3db180d253ee7","parentId",2657754,"title","Votes at a glance: key committee and floor actions from Montana Senate session","audioSeconds",6538,"startMs",232000,"endMs",6770000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2657754-2ca663358ef96c2a58a3db180d253ee7&start=232&end=6770","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2657754-2ca663358ef96c2a58a3db180d253ee7/thumbnail_232000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6277103/Montana/Votes-at-a-glance-key-committee-and-floor-actions-from-Montana-Senate-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277103-a23a79fc1876dcfb49745b1993b851dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169885&Signature=LNtzutYMNmCuZRAKMfuOaD6TGVZzjA~Xy-ZtxO0wOjehgNvIbIYOF6HA1Miuixnb5Z4qZCadjDuUKMZ~PF0orQFHxnbO-BcmPEX4ff0-jhhSeFDAxvBiNOvTRWRYVr6JPQcYGL0ln0X-Nin2mc12vXJv1vFye8dbv4etm~1IXSOfr8n7i2aEipAelTsko1ddD1v9bOhDTEqWtd6-MT7f-RFeMZ8QbOc0JnPHG3cRmoWT6cah~CUws5tAJFuUz4XgzpXKERuZTNIVJB0VQuqPy2UcwCEjrJSttSlSS9-jmQxgkw7s85Kd40HQmmxzQV7gVL6IkXTZ~2JMLDlLmm3HqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-03-15T00:00:00Z","article","This session’s Committee of the Whole reported dozens of House bills on second reading. Below are the bills the transcript shows were acted on in committee or on the floor, the committee/floor outcome and the recorded roll-call tally where the transcript records one.

Votes at a glance (committee/floor outcomes and recorded tallies where provided):

- House Bill 95 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 43 aye, 5 nay.
- House Bill 96 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 44 aye, 5 nay.
- House Bill 98 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 49 aye, 0 nay.
- House Bill 97 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 34 aye, 16 nay. (See separate article for longer debate.)
- House Bill 102 — Passed (motion to pass consideration for day recorded earlier); committee report references passage (details in session minutes).
- House Bill 99 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 41 aye, 8 nay.
- House Bill 104 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 49 aye, 0 nay.
- House Bill 169 (COSPO 169) — Failed to be concurred in on second reading; roll call 22 aye, 27 nay; later indefinitely postponed by Senate (29–20).
- House Bill 201 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 44 aye, 6 nay.
- House Bill 89 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 50 aye (no nays recorded).
- House Bill 111 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 50 aye.
- House Bill 112 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 47 aye, 3 nay.
- House Bill 115 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 38 aye, 11 nay.
- House Bill 136 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 48 aye, 1 nay.
- House Bill 183 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 48 aye, 2 nay.
- House Bill 118 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 49 aye, 1 nay.
- House Bill 197 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 47 aye, 3 nay.
- House Bill 167 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 33 aye, 17 nay.
- House Bill 190 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 39 aye, 11 nay.
- House Bill 110 — Concurred in on second reading; committee vote recorded 42 aye, 8 nay.

Third-reading/floor passage recorded later in the transcript (selected items):

- House Bill 81 — Passed the Senate on third reading; roll call recorded 35 aye, 14 nay.
- Senate Bill 393 — Passed the Senate; roll call recorded 44 aye, 6 nay.

Notes and limitations: the roundup lists votes and outcomes that are explicitly recorded in the provided transcript. Where the transcript listed a committee action without a roll-call tally, the entry is noted as ‘‘concurred in’’ or ‘‘passed’’ according to the committee report language. If the transcript reads only that a bill was introduced or referred and no recorded committee or floor vote appears, that bill is not included here.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Floor Session Saturday, Mar 15, 2025 08:36 - 10:44","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Committee of the Whole considered a large group of House bills on second reading; the transcript records recorded votes on numerous measures. This roundup lists each bill acted on during the session with the committee or floor outcome and the recorded vote where available.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MT, Montana","taxId",77694,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6277107,"Senate rejects bill to allow partisan political activity by judges; measure defeated and later indefinitely postponed",702,2778000,3480000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2657754-2ca663358ef96c2a58a3db180d253ee7&start=2778&end=3480","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2657754-2ca663358ef96c2a58a3db180d253ee7/thumbnail_2778000.jpg","/articles/6277107/Montana/Senate-rejects-bill-to-allow-partisan-political-activity-by-judges-measure-defeated-and-later-indefinitely-postponed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277107-24be6f3a25b9d51af3fd32fca1e29b25/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169885&Signature=nzxchMMLR8WZUwgT0fUNPGCNMdI6PtmWTv4W6R04n3a7nMMVkL3w8dz3zZfgoc8g8eS~T7uTkIf7pGV~RnkxV1kPLfyHzpUMwFfm9jVn4wBfWGiQDM~boIGKo81RVqmss9-BrY-FOJmmkbhefCFMwV92jc1Fy4fmsLSeBqnvZajH90TCZB4prSHnn-7yetX4Olo6pQ4ymDcCWms5MXdyy~nsISlXlOLJ5UcpPZCFTpQwNW7MgH1ek1QA5ERe5oC5iAOOGT-K8s2wpz-~B9p9g7T95fUhG~H7iWc1iuHvu~tUEds7yWdBeCAlhH6eqM5-EaZuXfe-UA8Zz-3EXlsVZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montana Senate voted against a proposal to permit judges and judicial candidates broader freedom to participate in partisan political activity, with opponents arguing the change would undermine judicial independence.

Sponsor Senator Emmerich described the measure as ‘‘our judicial freedom bill,’’ saying judges should enjoy the same free-speech and associational rights as other citizens. The bill would have allowed judicial candidates and sitting judges to attend political events, endorse partisan candidates and publicly identify with political organizations.

Opponents warned the change would politicize the judiciary and cited studies and examples from other states. A senator opposed on the floor urged colleagues to ‘‘think about the implications’’ and said recent surveys showed more than 70% of respondents in two state surveys opposed partisan judicial elections. Another critic, Senator Newman, said ‘‘judges should be making their decisions based on what is just, not what is popular.’’

On the roll call, the motion to concur on House Bill 169 failed, with 22 senators voting aye and 27 voting nay. Later the Senate took a separate motion and voted 29–20 to indefinitely postpone the measure.

Senators debating the bill raised several points: whether partisanship and impartiality are distinct concepts; whether existing practices already show partisan influence; and whether changes of this kind have produced negative outcomes in other states. Supporters argued for parity of free‑speech rights; opponents argued for the long-standing tradition of nonpartisan judicial elections in Montana and urged that the courts need protection from partisan pressure.

Because the bill failed and was then indefinitely postponed, no statutory change was enacted and the current rules governing judicial conduct and elections remain in place.","The Senate rejected a bill (COSPO 169 / House Bill 169) that would allow judges and judicial candidates greater freedom to engage in partisan political activity. The measure failed on floor roll call and was later indefinitely postponed after extended debate over judicial independence.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6277111,"Senate backs study and permit framework for truck platooning, Department of Transportation to lead feasibility work",1519,747000,2266000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2657754-2ca663358ef96c2a58a3db180d253ee7&start=747&end=2266","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2657754-2ca663358ef96c2a58a3db180d253ee7/thumbnail_747000.jpg","/articles/6277111/Montana/Senate-backs-study-and-permit-framework-for-truck-platooning-Department-of-Transportation-to-lead-feasibility-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277111-de6671dcfdae16eec34bbff8b906f84c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169885&Signature=eodE2itslR6ww-rX5onExOpae~-Vmp1zZCohrQghrkasqCTF42642mNUdJnSY3tDCwzX9x4niyhGxIZk-hIggG6Y3g8I3cCMEY7D7rCeaorUvE1Tgwrp~enc8pJsy3RRdwpeYv2gRG0tDgmCPA6nMuXm2z74AJMmiYULHU1bLgGg~aZK2xBRYAEVjg1boYuLfRk6YL26GP96~y8Z5FHmy246Z4kQhOpLelb5bcTBvu~3Muk5rdTzsQsgnik-wSSp~MoGjFNzWTQQVUmhhwKhK0R7nBnwPKQzisOag78pCeVBACq2kttLh~09z6akN7dPqpEW~aKIxqe~vpOM-rbMwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montana Senate on second reading voted to concur in House Bill 97, advancing a proposal to require the Department of Transportation to study and, if warranted, set permit rules and fees for truck ‘‘platooning’’ — closely coordinated operation of two or more trucks using vehicle-to-vehicle technology.

The bill, carried on the floor by Senator Fern, would direct the department to complete a feasibility study addressing Montana terrain, weather extremes and safety considerations, and to develop rulemaking and a permitting process that could include a $200 term permit and a $20 per-trip fee. The committee recommended concurrence by a recorded vote of 34 senators in favor and 16 opposed.

Supporters said the measure moves carefully by requiring study and rulemaking before wide deployment. Senator Fern told colleagues the bill ‘‘sets up some of the guidelines’’ and noted the department would perform the analysis and work with stakeholders. He also noted the bill passed the House by a wide margin, saying it ‘‘passed 98 to 1 in the House.’’

Opponents raised questions about liability, costs and where platooning would be allowed. Several senators pressed the sponsor over whether platooning would be limited to interstates and how the permitting system would work for vehicles entering Montana. Senator Dunmore told the chamber that ‘‘platooning is already happening now illegally’’ and argued the bill should introduce regulations to protect other motorists. Other senators asked who would bear insurance and legal responsibility if an autonomous or partially autonomous platoon caused a crash; those concerns were not resolved on the floor and were described as matters for later rulemaking.

Senators also discussed technical details the bill leaves to the Department of Transportation’s study and future rules: whether platoons must include human drivers in lead or trailing vehicles; whether multi-lane, multi-truck configurations would be permitted; and how conditions such as wind, steep mountain passes and animal collisions would affect safe operation. Senator Fern said the permitting system would use the department’s existing carrier-permit infrastructure and that fees could help defray costs, but he said the fiscal note for the bill was $0 because permit volume and staffing needs are uncertain.

The bill requires the department to evaluate safety, infrastructure and stakeholder concerns and to propose rulemaking if the study supports limited use. The Senate committee vote to concur advances HB97 to later floor action.","The Montana Senate concurred in House Bill 97 on second reading after extended debate, directing the Department of Transportation to study whether platooning of partially or fully autonomous trucks is safe on Montana roads and to develop permit rules if appropriate. The measure passed the committee 34–16.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: key committee and floor actions from Montana Senate session

Senate rejects bill to allow partisan political activity by judges; measure defeated and later indefinitely postponed

Senate backs study and permit framework for truck platooning, Department of Transportation to lead feasibility work