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YPR News Desk > What's Happening in Helena
What's Happening in Helena: Audio Archive
coverage of the 2007 Montana Legislature
hosted by Jackie Yamanaka and Jim Gransbery
 YPR
News Director Jackie Yamanaka and Jim Gransbery
of the Billings
Gazette kept you informed about the issues facing lawmakers at the
2007
Session of the Montana
Legislature.
During this weekly live program, Jackie (reporting from Helena) and
Jim (in YPR's Billings studios) talked with those individuals directly
involved in the legislative process, including bill sponsors, legislative
leaders, the governor, state agency officials, and others.
In addition to their guests, Jackie and Jim welcomed comments and questions
from listeners. YPR News is happy to provide an audio archive
of the 2007 edition of What's Happening in Helena.
What's Happening in Helena Audio Archive
This audio archive is available as on-demand, streaming audio using
the Windows Media Audio (WMA) format, and as MP3 files encoded at 64kbps.
Call-In Special: Speaker Scott Sales (R)
Wednesday, May 2, 6:30pm
 Call-In Special: Speaker of the House Scott Sales (WMA)
 Call-In Special: Speaker of the House Scott Sales (MP3)
Join Jackie and Jim as they welcome Speaker
of the House Scott Sales (R, HD 68) for a one-hour, live
call-in on where the Legislature is and where it needs to be by the end of its
special session.
Call-In Special: Governor Brian Schweitzer
(D)
Tuesday, May 1, 7pm
Call-In Special: Governor Brian Schweitzer (WMA)
Call-In Special: Governor Brian Schweitzer (MP3)
Join Jackie and Jim as they welcome Governor Brian
Schweitzer (D) for a one-hour, live call-in on where the Legislature
is and where it needs to be by the end of its special session.
April 19
What's
Happening in Helena (04.19.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (04.19.2007) [MP3]
This week, Representative
Alan Olson (R, HD 45) discusses the ongoing debate
about HB
25 [HB
25 text], the so-called "re-regulation" bill. Following
that, Representative
Diane Sands (D, HD 95) discusses HB
462 [HB
462 text], which would regulate constituency accounts.
April 12
What's
Happening in Helena (04.12.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (04.12.2007) [MP3]
This week, Public
Service Commission Chairman Greg
Jergeson discusses the bills that affect consumers, in particular
HB
25 [HB
25 text]--the so-called "re-regulation" bill. Following
that, freshman legislator Representative
Mike Phillips (D, HD 66) discusses environmental
issues facing the state. Philips, a wolf biologist, also offers his thoughts
on HB
343 [HB
343 text], which would fund state participation in a lawsuit challenging
the federal governmet's failure to remove wolves from the Endangered Species
list.
April 5
What's
Happening in Helena (04.05.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (04.05.2007) [MP3]
This week, the directors of the state's two largest agencies discuss how
they are faring as the budget bills make their way through the legislative
process. First, Department
of Public Health and Human Services Director Joan Miles
examines funding for mental health issues, prescription drug assistance,
and the Children's
Health Insurance Plan (CHIP). Following that, Superintendent Linda
McCulloch of the Office
of Public Instruction talks education funding.
March 29
What's
Happening in Helena (03.29.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (03.29.2007) [MP3]
Wildfires and and the state's responsibilities in fighting them are the
focus of this week's program. First, Senator
Jim Shockley (R, SD 45) discusses SB
147 [SB
147 text], which would allow for acess and activity restrictions in
wildland areas identified as fire hazards, and SB
145 [SB
145 text], which would revise wildfire protection laws and establish
a state fire policy. Following that, Bob Harrington,
the Department of Natural
Resources and Conservation's Administrator of the Forestry
Division, discusses a legislative audit (HJ
10 [HJ
10 text] [HJ
10 report: "Study of Wildland Fire Policy and Statutes" {.pdf}],
2005 legislative session) that found the state of Montana had no policy
to fight wildfires or pay for the costs. Harrington will also discuss
policy changes for the DNRC
with regard to the comig fire season, which may include SB
404 [SB
404 text], which would clarify firefighters' liability.
March 22
What's
Happening in Helena (03.22.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (03.22.2007) [MP3]
This week, Jim Gransbery talks with Senator
Jeff Essmann (R, SD 28) [Sen.
Essmann's website]about SB
554 [SB
554 text], which raises the issue of a state sales tax. Following
that, Representative
Dave Kasten (R, HD 30) discusses HB
11 [HB
11 text], which recently failed to make it out of the House. HB 11
would have appropriated money to assist local governments with infrastructure
projects through the Treasure
State Endowment Program. Representative Kasten will also discuss HB
519 [HB
519 text], which would develop a Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame.
March 15
What's
Happening in Helena (03.15.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (03.15.2007) [MP3]
This week, Senator
Dave Lewis (R, SD 42) and then Senator
John Cobb (R, SD 9) discuss this week's legislative
action and put it into perspective, as well as expand on what goes in
to crafting a state budget.
The main budget bills
(all [bill text] links are Adobe .pdf documents
and require Adobe
Reader to view):
March 8
What's
Happening in Helena (03.08.2007)[WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena 03.08.2007) [MP3]
This week, Representative
Jon Sesso (D, HD 76) discusses HB
13 [HB
13 text], the state pay plan, as well as what the crafting of a state
budget means for the average Montanan. Following that, Representative
Brady Wiseman (D, HD 65) talks about HB
287 [HB
287 text], which would deny implementation of the Real ID Act, and
the companion bill HB
384 [HB
384 text], which would nullify the Real ID law in Montana. The Real
ID Act of 2005 establishes national standards for state-issued driver's
licenses, as well as addresses issues of asylum, deportation, border security,
and visas.
March 1
What's
Happening in Helena (03.01.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (03.01.2007) [MP3]
Governor Brian
Schweitzer (D) and then Senator
Corey Stapelton (R, SD 27) discuss their respective
legislative agendas and how each has fared so far this session.
February 22
What's
Happening in Helena (02.22.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (02.22.2007) [MP3]
This week, Representative
Rick Jore (C, HD 12) discusses HB
702 [HB
702 text], which would reject the No
Child Left Behind Act. Jore also talks about his views on compulsory
school attendance and full-time kindergarten. Also appearing this week,
Senator
Lane Larson (D, SD 22) explains SB
78 [SB
78 text], which seeks to clarify public access to streams and rivers
from county bridges.
February 15
What's
Happening in Helena (02.15.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (02.15.2007 [MP3]
House Appropriations Chairman Representative
John Sinrud (R, HD 67) discusses the state budget
and the process moving forward now that the main budget bill, HB
2 [HB
2 text (.pdf)], has been tabled. Also,
Senator Joe Troplia (D, SD 13) explains SB
15 [SB
15 text], which would prohibit picketing at funerals. The bill has
passed the Senate and will have a hearing in the House on Monday, February
19.
from ypradio.org/news:
House
Bill 2 Tabled
aired February 14, 2007
House
Floor exchange on HB 2 (web-only audio)
February 8
What's
Happening in Helena (02.08.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (02.08.2007) [MP3]
This week, What's Happening in Helena takes a closer look at
education with Commissioner
of Higher Education Sheila Stearns discussing all
things higher education and State
School Superintendent Linda McCulloch discussing
budget cuts, full-time kindergarten, Indian Education for All, and her
upcoming State of Education speech on Friday, February 9.
February 1
What's
Happening in Helena (02.01.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (02.01.2007) [MP3]
This week, Senator
Kim Gillan (D, SD 24) discusses SB
320 [SB
320 text], which would expand the use of the resort tax across the
state. Also, in an ongoing series devoted to meeting freshman legislators,
WHIH features Representative
Julie French (D, HD 36) of Scobey.
January 25
What's
Happening in Helena (01.25.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (01.25.2007) [MP3]
Speaker
of the House Scott Sales (R, HD 68) and Senate
President Mike Cooney (D, SD 40) give their reactions
to the governor's State of the State Address and talk about their respective
legislative priorities.
State of the State Address / Republican Response
State
of the State Address (01.24.2007) [WMA]
Republican
Response (01.24.2007) [WMA]
State
of the State Address (01.24.2007) [MP3]
Republican
Response (01.24.2004) [MP3]
January 18
What's
Happening in Helena (01.18.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (01.18.2007) [MP3]
This week, Sen.
Dan Weinberg (D, SD 2) discusses SB
22 [SB
22 bill text], which would increase eligibility in the MT
Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP). Weinberg, who chairs the
Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee, will also discuss
bills related to mental health issues. Following Sen. Weinberg, House
Minority Leader Rep.
John Parker (D, HD 23) talks about HB
29 [HB
29 bill text], which would tighten regulations governing payday/title
loans.
from ypradio.org/news:
CHIP
Eligibility
aired January 11, 2007
Payday
& Title Loans
aired January 15, 2007
January 11
What's
Happening in Helena (01.11.2007) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (01.11.2007) [MP3]
This week, Jackie and Jim welcomed Sen.
Carol Williams (D, SD 46) to discuss SB
123,
which would fund full-time kindergarten in the state. After that, the
Legislative
Fiscal Division's Principal Fiscal Analyst, Terry Johnson,
talked about the billion dollar surplus--where it came from, and whether
or not it's sustainable.
January 4
What's
Happening in Helena (01.04.2006) [WMA]
What's
Happening in Helena (01.04.2006) [MP3]
For the first show of the 60th Legislature, Jackie and Jim welcomed Governor
Brian Schweitzer (D) to discuss his legislative agenda
for the 2007 session. Following the Governor, House
Majority Leader Michael Lange (R, HD 55) addressed
the Republicans' agenda for the session. Jackie and Jim also discussed
the first two days of the session as well as looked toward what's to come
in the next four months.
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