Democratic Women's Caucus touts equality issues

HELENA -Democratic women in the Legislature promised today to work for equality on the job, in health care and in the impending federal financial stimulus package.

The Democratic Women’s Caucus, founded last session and representing 31 female legislators this session, outlined its agenda in a press conference in the capitol.

“When women are not paid fairly, families are not paid fairly,” said House Speaker Pro Tempore Franke Wilmer, D-Bozeman (pictured).

Wilmer said women in Montana earn 70 cents for every dollar a man in the same job earns. She said the Women’s Caucus would work to help close the gap. “This wage gap is not fair and needs to change,” she said.

Rep. Michelle Reinhart, D-Missoula, said the Women’s Caucus sent letters to U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Max Baucus, both Democrats, asking them to keep women and children in mind when they discuss Montana’s share of the federal stimulus package.

“We want fairness in the economic stimulus package coming our way,” Reinhart said. She said it should not be assumed that women will benefit from the jobs created by the “shovel-ready” programs, because they are typically jobs held by men.

Reinhart said the stimulus must fund fields that employ large numbers of women, like education and health care.

Sen. Carol Juneau of Browning expressed disappointment at the tabling of House Bill 214, which would expand Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women. Juneau also said the caucus would oppose Senate Bill 142, which would repeal Montana’s unisex insurance laws.

“The bill would allow insurers to charge men and women different premiums,” Juneau said.

The lawmakers also said they support the Healthy Montana Kids Plan, as well as a Senate Bill 259, which would create an earned-income tax credit in Montana.

- by CNS correspondent Molly Priddy