Rep. Fern offers legislative update

Democrat Rep. Dave Fern weighed in on two situations recently in the news during an informal gathering recently at City Beach.

He also provided his thoughts a few bills that were part of the legislative session that ended this spring.

Fern represents House District 5 in the Montana Legislature.

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services last month removed 27 children from the Ranch for Kids in Rexford amid allegations of child abuse and neglect, and suspending the facility’s license.

Although complaints about the private youth program were made to a different state agency, DPHHS did not have authority over the Ranch for Kids until July 1 when a new state law passed during the 2019 legislative session went into effect, according to news reports.

Fern said such programs were previously under the Department of Labor and Industry and the move to DPHHS makes more sense. “That was good work,” Fern said. “They [the Ranch for Kids] have a long record of complaints. Though it was politically difficult to make that happen, the programs didn’t belong under the department of labor.”

Fern said DPHHS will be better to monitor such programs insuring that they have such things as the proper accreditation and child to staff ratios.

In late July, Whitefish-based Potter’s Field Ministries closed its program and MudMan Burgers restaurants after allegations of abuse against the ministry’s interns. While the MudMan Burger chain operated under ownership of the Potter’s Field founders, former interns reported making as little as $2 per hour working in the restaurants.

Fern said young people being exploited is not OK, noting that nonprofits need to meet certain standards and that it falls to the Legislature to ensure this happens.

“There are labor law exemptions for religious organizations, but that’s not suppose to go for flipping hamburgers,” Fern said. House Bill 661 passed by the Legislature raises Montana’s aviation fuel tax from 4 cents per gallon to 5 cents per gallon.

Fern said he supported the increase in the tax to assist with small airport maintenance projects.

“There are dozens of small airports and airstrips in the state that use funds from this,” he said. “It’s important in making sure those airports are available for emergency services and fires.”

House Bill 129 allows for county officials to place on the ballot a questions asking voters to decide if they want to change elections from partisan to nonpartisan or the reverse.

“I think it’s important at the county level because I don’t think it’s that important at that level whether you’re Democrat or Republican,” Fern said. “It’s about getting the job done.”

A bill passed by the state Legislature earlier this year continued the state’s Medicaid expansion. The bill added work and other requirements that the DPHHS said could impact an estimated 26,000. Fern called the bill a good compromise.

He previously said he supports reasonable rules to encourage Medicaid recipients to increase their earning potential, but he does not support punitive actions that would punish low-income Montanans.

“Health care is an incredible mess,” Fern said. “Expanding Medicaid is an economic and ethical issue.”

The Legislature passed a bill during the session creating the Montana Museums Act that authorizes the funding for the construction for the Montana Historical Society museum in Helena and provide financial assistance to museums and historical sites throughout the state, The bill increases the state lodging sales tax from 3% to 4% and directs funds to a historic preservation grant program.

“It will help small and big places in Montana,” Fern said.