Halftime report from State Senate

It is transmittal time in Helena which means the legislature has completed half of the 61st session.  The bills that have been approved by the Senate now move to the House for debate and vice versa. If a bill passes both the Senate and the House, it then goes to the governor for either his signature or his veto. During this session, I predict the governor will do a little of both. Overall, the session in the Senate has been both cordial and respectful of opposing views. I have read hundreds of e-mails and received a countless number of phone messages asking me to either support or oppose bills. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every citizen who has actively participated in the democratic process.

I have been asked why I have left my Web site unchanged since the end of my campaign. The simple reason is because I expect to be held accountable for the pledges I made. When I said that I would place priority on jobs, education and conservation and not yield to political pressure or party affiliation, I meant it. When I said that I would put Montana first and work hard with both sides of the aisle to find solutions, it was not campaign rhetoric. While some may disagree with this approach or my voting record, I believe it is in the best interest of Montana to seek a common ground rather than to highlight philosophical differences. The following is a summary of where I stood on a number of issues during the first half:

Jobs

I voted in favor of fully funding the Montana Incumbent Workers Program to provide enhanced job skill training. I voted in favor of creating a Worksafe Montana Program which would increase workplace safety and reduce accidents. I voted against the minimum wage tip credit because I viewed it as unfair to lower paid servers in rural Montana; instead, I authored a restaurant bill to help owners and staff alike. I also sponsored two small business bills that will lower the effective rate on the Equipment Tax and reduce worker’s compensation premiums. Because of the economic decline in the recent months the Flathead Valley is among the hardest hit in terms of lay-offs and jobs lost. Keeping people working is my top priority.

Education 

I sided with the Montana Education Association (MEA) and voted against electing the Board of Regents and the Board of Education, voted against reducing the retirement benefits for teachers, and voted in favor of increasing school funding to a level equal to the governor’s budget proposal. On a particularly tough vote, I did not support spending additional resources to establish a community college in the Bitterroot. Under a tight budget, I think it is prudent to improve the existing University of Montana educational satellite in Hamilton.

Conservation

I voted against several bills that I thought either unfairly favored industry or were unconstitutional.  I fully understand that the permit process in Montana is in need of repair, but dismantling environmental protections or creating an unfair legal advantage is not the answer. The permit process should be transparent, fair, timely and based on scientific evidence. I am currently working with Rep. Lew Jones (R) of Shelby on a permit revision bill that would improve the process without eroding reasonable regulation.

Jobs, education and conservation are my most important priorities for this legislative session. Though I have focused on these specific issues, there are a couple more controversial topics I would like to elaborate on.

Capitol Punishment

I voted to abolish the death penalty. Although I listened to arguments such as innocent people may be executed as a result of capitol punishment, or a life sentence without parole is tantamount to death, these were not the reasons I supported this bill. My reason to abolish the death sentence was based on cost. The cost to taxpayers to incarcerate a convicted murderer for life is a bargain compared to what the state has to spend during the lengthy appeal process in a capital punishment case. Until the appeals process is changed, the excessive cost of keeping a death sentence in Montana is taking valuable resources away from other worthy programs.

Women’s Rights

I voted against two constitutional amendment bills that I thought eroded women’s rights. Although unpopular to many pro-life voters, I voted ”no” because I believe that the right to choose is best decided between God, family and the woman. I do not believe the government is the right body to decide such an important and personal issue. Call it liberty, freedom or pro-choice, this is where I stand. In the case of parental notification however, I voted in favor of the bill as it had a court by-pass provision that offered reasonable privacy for complex cases. I strongly believe in accountability and taking responsibility for our actions. To me, parental notification is part of being accountable and responsible.

For more information on the legislative session, hearing dates, and how to contact your local legislator, please visit the State of Montana official Web site found at http://mt.gov or http://leg.mt.gov.

Ryan Zinke is a Republican state senator from District 2.