2021 Legislative Session

 

Skills USA students with Superintendent Elsie Arntzen and Governor Greg Gianforte

Governor Greg Gianforte and State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen with CTE student leaders at the Montana Ready Open for Business event in the Capital Rotunda, March 26, 2021.

 

OPI Education Caucus

7:00 am every other Tuesday starting January 12 - Virtual Meeting

Rotunda Events

  • Indian Education for All Rotunda Day: February 12th
  • Women in Government Rotunda Day: February 15th
  • Montana Ready Rotunda Day: March 26th

Tribal Education Caucus Members

Montana Senate

Montana House of Representatives

State & Federal Government and Other Organizations

Videos & Materials from Tribal Education Caucuses

 

Updates: OPI's Legislative Priorities 

 

 

House Bill 15 

Sponsored by Fred Anderson of Great Falls

  • Passed and Signed by Governor - BASE Aid plus legislation (HB15) provides an inflationary addition base amount for school equity – BASE Aid. The BASE Aid calculation determines the state share of funding for Montana K-12 public schools and accounts for 69% of school districts’ general fund budget. Signed into law on February 25, the BASE Aid distributions to Montana’s public schools are $827 million for next year, and $866 million for the 2022-2023 school year. 


Rep. Fred Anderson, Great Falls

House Bill 46

Sponsored by David Bedey of Hamilton

  • Out of Committee/Scheduled for Third Reading- Related to HB 15, Superintendent Arntzen has testified on behalf of HB 46 to make public funding for special needs students more predictable. Specifically, the bill advocates for including the special education allowable cost payment in the state's BASE Aid funding formula. When combined with HB 15, this represents a 4.07% inflationary increase over the biennium for Montana schools, a critical increase to support all Montana's students. 

 


Rep. David Bedey, Hamilton

House Bills 25 & 206

HB 25 is sponsored by Moffie Funk of Helena
HB 206 is sponsored by David Bedey of Hamilton (pictured above)

  • House Bill 25 and House Bill 206 are related to clarifying and providing funding to in-state residential treatment for at risk students. Superintendent Arntzen has publicly supported both bills as necessary to help one of Montana's vulnerable student populations. HB 206 has been passed by the Legislature.

 


Rep. Moffie Funk, Helena

House Bill 181

Sponsored by Katie Zolnikov of Billings

  • HB 181 transfers the Broadband for Public Schools Program from the Department of Commerce to the OPI, the agency that works the most with schools.  HB 181 is currently out of committee and scheduled for a second reading. 

 


Rep. Katie Zolnikov, Billings