Legislative Update for February 16 The pace of bill hearings has picked up significantly and will continue through this week as the Legislature approaches the transmittal deadline for general bills on February 27. Check Facebook and our website for more updates during the week. Highlights from February 9 – 15 The House Judiciary Committee heard […]
It’s GO TIME! Montana Abolition Coalition needs you tomorrow.
February 12, 2015 By
Posted for Jen Kirby of the Montana Abolition Coalition: House Bill 370 has been officially introduced in the Montana House of Representatives. This bill is a bipartisan effort to replace the death penalty with life without parole. House Bill 370 is scheduled for hearing on Friday, February 13th at 8am in the House Judiciary Committee. This […]
What’s Happening in Helena? Legislative Update 2/9/15
February 9, 2015 By
ACLU of Montana Public Policy Director Niki Zupanic reports in on which legislation we support, which we oppose and which upcoming bills we are watching. Legislative Update for February 9 Highlights from February 2 – 7 We supported two pro-privacy bills: HB 74 by Rep. Lynch (D – Butte) updates our data breach notification laws […]
Locked in the Past: Montana’s Jails in Crisis
February 9, 2015 By
In many ways, county detention centers bear the brunt of a broken criminal justice system. Many county detention centers in Montana have severe conditions issues and are underfunded, inadequately staffed, and largely ignored by county commissioners, county law enforcement departments, and the public. An inadequately funded statewide public defender system, a broken bond system, […]
Religious Freedom Day: What Are We Celebrating? Freedom or Religion?
January 16, 2015 By
By James C. Nelson, Montana Supreme Court Justice (Retired) Today is Religious Freedom Day. This day is officially proclaimed by the President on January 16, of each year. The day commemorates the Virginia General Assembly’s adoption of the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson and adopted on January 16, 1786. This statue […]
Oklahoma Plays Torture Roulette With Lethal Injection
January 15, 2015 By
By Cassandra Stubbs and Anna Arceneaux, ACLU Capital Punishment Project The logical response to Clayton Lockett’s bloody, pain-filled, unconstitutional execution in Oklahoma eight months ago would be to prevent such torture from happening again. But Oklahoma has another idea for its first execution since Lockett’s. Instead of learning from its mistakes, the state will […]
We’re planning a wedding
November 19, 2014 By
By Angie Rolando Plaintiff in the ACLU of Montana’s marriage equality case While Tonya’s and my journey into the challenge against Montana’s ban on same sex marriage began in Great Falls in May 2014, our journey began nearly six years ago. At that time, when our love was brand new, it never occurred to me […]
Marriage Equality: Good for Montana, Good for Business
October 17, 2014 By
Marriage equality is about fairness, constitutional rights and human dignity, but it’s also good for business. Extending marriage to Montana’s same-sex couples would create $4.5 million in new spending in the state over the first three years as about 675 couples tie the knot, according to a recently released study. The Williams Institute study on […]
The time for marriage equality in Montana is NOW
October 15, 2014 By
By Liz Welch ACLU of Montana LGBT Advocacy Coordinator Just moments ago, the ACLU of Montana filed for summary judgment on behalf of four same sex couples asking to have the ban on same gender marriage declared unconstitutional. It’s one of the last remaining steps for Montana to become a marriage equality state. “We don’t […]
Victory for marriage equality
October 6, 2014 By
Unless you live under a rock, you have probably heard that the Supreme Court denied cert in all seven pending petitions in the marriage cases this morning. This is a wonderful victory for same-sex couples in Virginia, Wisconsin, Indiana, Oklahoma and Utah who will soon be able to marry and have their marriages performed in other states recognized […]
