Legislative update: Rep. Janna Taylor

We have a couple extra days off this next weekend. It’s called transmittal break and it’s when bills go back and forth between the House and the Senate.

We need the time off. Six days a week is tough and last week we were in Agricultural Committee until 9 p.m. Beats the 8 p.m. record the week before.

We passed a bill to protect farmers from abuses from patented plant seed owners. That means companies like Monsanto. Also, we added extra costs that could be charged to the brucellosis reimbursement program. Producer’s per capita fees are used for this.

The most controversial bill was one to regulate unethical dog breeders, called puppy mills. This bill, House Bill 548, is certainly a start, but there are major problems. It starts a new government program and costs breeders $415 per year.

We all know that good breeders will pay the fee. Irresponsible breeders may not. The bill also calls for unannounced inspections. Small home-based breeders found this intrusive.

The new program would call for inspections that include building materials, climate, lighting controls as well as indoor/outdoor facilities. No wonder small breeders said it would put them out of business, and they are the ones that care the most for their animals.

Everyone would like to see something done about the bad breeders. HB 548 is a revenue bill because of the fees, so it did not have to be passed before this weekend. I certainly hope we can find the right fix.

I sat in on the reappraisal sub-committee last week. The Department of Revenue discussed potential mitigation plans. These are now called “circuit breakers.”

We have some already, like the Elderly Homeowner and Renter’s Credit. Most circuit breakers have income considerations and depend on individual income tax income. Some are very complex. I’ll keep you informed on the committee’s progress.

Last week, the House Taxation Committee passed the revenue estimate, $251 million below the November calculation. Of course, the worry is that the revenue will continue to decrease.

Some of my fellow Republicans made a very hard decision last week. Passed by initiative last fall, Healthy Montana Kids creates a new state program. It provides free health insurance for children in families that earn 250 percent of the federal poverty level. A family of four could get these benefits while earning more than $55,000 per year. For larger families, the amount is even more.

When the initiative was passed, Montana was expecting a billion dollar budget surplus. We all know what has happened since then. Members of the health and human services subcommittee had to make a tough choice.

The choices: raise taxes hundreds of dollars for every Montana family, cut current services for our poorest Medicaid patients or delay the funding of the new program for families making $55,000, $60,000 or even $70,000 until the budget picture looked better.

Members of the sub-committee opted to delay implementing the Healthy Montana Kids program for two years. I admire their courage. They made a very hard choice.

One way to improve Montana’s economic future is to make sure that responsible natural resource development projects have every opportunity to thrive. We passed House Bill 338 to give pipelines that transport carbon dioxide similar legal status to pipelines for oil and gas.

Now natural resource projects that choose carbon sequestration will have an option for moving the carbon around, and even selling it. It’s a strong move toward developing Montana’s natural resources in a way that protects our environment.

I really appreciate all the calls and e-mails. I try to respond to everyone from House District 11. I never forget that I work for you. Leave me a message at 406-444-4800, write Representative Janna Taylor, Capitol Building, PO Box 200400, Helena, MT 59620-0400, or email jannataylor@montana.com.