House, Senate wrestle over $8 billion budget bill

HELENA – The House today overwhelmingly rejected Senate amendments to the state budget bill, sending the budget into a special joint committee of lawmakers from both houses.

House Bill 2, the state budget bill, was heavily amended by the GOP-controlled Senate after it was approved by the House. Some of the most controversial changes included reducing the expansion for the Healthy Montana Kids Plan and decreasing the amount of state money spent on education.

Since the houses could not come to agreement on the budget, it will be sent to a free conference committee, which is a joint panel of senators and representatives charged with ironing out differences. The committee has the power to change any part of HB2.

House Speaker Bob Bergren, D-Havre, along with House Minority Leader Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, appointed four representatives to the committee: Reps. Jon Sesso, D-Butte; Cynthia Hiner, D-Deer Lodge; Llew Jones, R-Conrad; Ray Hawk, R-Florence.

The Senate members of the committee have yet to be chosen by Senate President Bob Story, R-Park City.

-by CNS correspondent Molly Priddy