MONTANA CONSERVATION VOTERS RELEASE 2007 LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD

 

Contact:  Theresa Keaveny, 406-254-1593 or 861-1557 cell
              Dave Tyler, 406-539-0288

Billings, MT … The independent, non-profit “political voice” of Montana’s conservation and environmental community has released a scorecard providing voting information about legislators serving in the 60^th Montana Legislature.  The group has published the scorecard in consultation with state conservation and environmental groups since 1999.

 

“We’re pleased to report that the 2007 legislature passed good conservation bills promoting energy conservation and renewables, protection of private property rights, new requirements for energy facilities and responsible planning and growth,” said Belgrade sheep rancher and MCV co-chairperson Dave Tyler.  “And, no ground was lost with respect to Montana’s cornerstone laws that protect our communities and quality of life” said Tyler.

 

While wrangling over the state’s projected budget surplus grabbed much of the attention this session, conservation issues also featured robust debate throughout the regular and special session.  Though some conservation priorities such as a stream access from bridges law, global warming solutions, and a state biodiesel production standard failed to pass - an important conversation was had around each issue.  And for the first time, lawmakers meaningfully debated Montana’s contribution to global warming pollution.  Some legislators formed a Climate Change Caucus and HB 753 (the Montana Global Warming Solutions Act) attracted one of the largest public hearings of the session in the House Resources Committee. 

 

On the whole, conservation voting scores dropped to an average of 53% (down from 60% in 2005).  Scores were down in both chambers, most precipitously in the House (50% avg. in 2007 down from 59% in 2005), and across party lines with the exception of Senate Republicans whose average score was up from 19% in 2005 to a 26% average this year. 

 

Ten Senators and twenty-two Representatives scored a perfect 100%, and notably, no Senators scored a 0%.  Unfortunately, nineteen Representatives registered a 0%, coinciding with the overall drop in performance on the House side. 

 

“The Senate was impressive this session, both in passing bipartisan, pro-conservation bills and stopping attacks on existing environmental law, such as those we witnessed regarding the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA),” said Theresa Keaveny, MCV Executive Director.  “The majority of the House of Representatives, on the other hand, showed little regard for the public interest in clean air and water, affordable, renewable energy and healthy communities.”

 

Though serious attacks on MEPA emanated from both parties in the House [HB 610 by Jim Keane (D-Butte) and HB 405 by former Majority Leader Michael Lange (R-Billings)], unbalanced House committees and partisan floor votes were largely responsible for the demise of several key pieces of conservation legislation.  Speaker Scott Sales (R-Belgrade) set a bitter tone with his strident opposition to conservation measures, even going so far as to selectively ignore legislative protocol to single-handedly block the passage of stream access and biodiesel legislation (see Scorecard story SalesGate: Abusing Power, page 16).

 

The Legislative Scorecard is based on public information from the Montana Legislative Branch website. With input from leaders of Montana’s conservation community, votes included are on bills and motions.  The publication also features important committee votes, resolutions, and good government legislation (election law and initiative process reform) and timely articles on conservation priorities.

 

Copies of the 2007 Montana Legislative Scorecard can be downloaded at the MCV website.  Hard copies are available by calling 406-254-1593. Additionally, a detailed Montana Legislative Summary can be found on the web at http://www.mtvoters.org/hotlist.