The group behind a ballot petition to enshrine abortion access in Montana’s constitution formally kicked off its signature gathering campaign Tuesday, telling supporters it is critical the initiative pass in November if Montanans want to avoid restrictions being imposed like those in Texas and other Republican-led states.
Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights had already started gathering signatures to try to get Constitutional Initiative 128 onto November’s ballot last week in some of the state’s most populous cities, but Tuesday’s event at Mt. Ascension Brewing Company in Helena marked its official start to its effort to gather more than 60,000 valid signatures from Montana voters by the June 21 deadline.
“Abortion is a topic that’s become politicized and stigmatized, but in reality, we all love someone or are someone who’s had an abortion,” said Martha Fuller, the CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana, one of the organizations that makes up Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights. “We can no longer let politicians threaten access to the lifesaving, essential care that thousands of Montanans need and deserve. Montanans must act now to proactively secure our right to abortion and CI-128 will protect the rights that we currently have for good.”
Supporters of CI-128 gathered at Mt. Ascension Brewing Company for the kick-off event for the abortion access ballot initiative. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)
Speaking to several dozen supporters, members of the group, which also includes the ACLU of Montana and Forward Montana, said they believe Republican lawmakers in Montana will continue to push the bounds of the 1999 Armstrong v. Montana Supreme Court decision that found Montanans’ right to privacy includes a right to abortion access.
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They said passing the initiative in November would ensure the legislators do not continue creating laws restricting that access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and put decisions about abortion access back into the hands of the states.
Dr. Sam Dickman, an abortion provider and physician who is the chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of Montana, was nearly brought to tears as he recounted working in Texas when its abortion ban took effect and seeing patients have to travel to other states for care, and others who were pregnant after being sexually assaulted being forced to carry the pregnancy to term.
He said while the current court precedent has upheld abortion access in Montana, passing the constitutional amendment would ensure that lawmakers or courts couldn’t take that access away overnight. He cited the Arizona Supreme Court’s recent decision upholding a law passed before Arizona became a state as an example of how quickly the landscape can change for patients and providers.
“Montanans deserve dignity; they deserve the right to make medical decisions for themselves and their families, and no politicians should interfere with those decisions,” Dickman said. “I’ve seen what those abortion bans lead to, and we don’t want to see those consequences here in Montana.”
Fuller said the group already had at least 400 volunteers signed up to help gather signatures and promote the campaign. Akilah Deernose, the executive director of the ACLU of Montana, said she believed efforts by the attorney general to keep the group from moving their initiative forward reinforced the group’s stance that abortion access is still under threat, and that has invigorated supporters.
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Mikayla Pitts, the voter engagement and reproductive rights organizer for Forward Montana, said in the months the group has been doing voter registration drives on college campuses this year, she’s heard from many students interested in supporting the initiative.
Emma Foster, a Montana State University student, and Lily Madison, a high school junior, both said that younger people they had spoken with were energized by the campaign because it could have a large say in whether they want to stay in Montana for college or their careers.
“Attacks on our fundamental rights are bad for Montana. They cost us students, workers, doctors and businesses, and they make young people like myself feel like the state doesn’t value our rights and who we are,” Foster said.
Posters for Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights, the group behind CI-128 in 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)
The group said the signature gathering effort would be focused in Montana’s larger population centers, but that they have volunteers ready to go in more rural parts of the state as well since they have to gather signatures from 10% of the voters in 40 different state House districts.
“I think it’s going to be a volunteer effort like you don’t see with a lot of ballot measures,” Fuller said. “People are really engaged.”
She said the group will not be participating in Thursday’s Law and Justice Committee hearing on the initiative. Republican lawmakers decided to hold the hearing in order to give the measure an up-or-down vote despite the Montana Supreme Court already ruling that the initiative did not need to go through the committee hearing because of the way the law is written and that the committee’s vote will not be recorded on the ballot petition.
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“I think that we’ve seen a lot of theater so far around this ballot measure and we are just ready to get to work and leave the theater up to politicians,” Fuller said.
The group said it was prepared to fight any other possible legal battles surrounding the initiative and the validity of the signatures it gathers should they arise, but their hope is to put the matter of abortion access to rest through a citizen-approved amendment to the constitution that legislators cannot change through lawmaking.
“Some legislators come into this town to rip our rights away instead of defending our constitutional rights and embracing freedom,” Pitts said. “Legislative session after legislative session, they push more extreme bans, and we’re tired of it. And we’re going to tell them at the ballot box.”
California has launched a huge crackdown on criminals buying and registering supercars outside of the state to avoid eye-popping sales tax.
Fourteen people have been charged after $20 million worth of vehicles were sourced to the Big Sky State in what authorities are calling the “Montana Loophole.”
California has launched a huge crackdown on criminals buying and registering supercars outside of the state to avoid eye-popping sales tax. Office of the Attorney General of California
The cars include a $1.8 million McLaren Elva, a Porsche 918 Spyder and a $1.26 million Ferrari F12TDF, the attorney general’s office said.
In the Golden State base rate sales tax is 7.25%. For a Lamborghini or Ferrari that can reach up to $250,000 or higher, that can mean a tax bill over $18,000. In Montana it is zero.
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The gang, from Alameda, Marin, Santa Clara and Sacramento, allegedly dodged more than $1.8 million in taxes since 2018.
They are accused of filing false records showing the supercars were bought in Montana but then drove and kept them in California.
Fourteen people have been charged after $20 million worth of vehicles were sourced to the Big Sky State in what authorities are calling the “Montana Loophole.” Office of the Attorney General of California
The DMV has launched nearly 100 criminal investigations into similar schemes across California since 2023 and recovered $2.3 million. It says the schemes are costing over $10 million per year.
It says there are 601 fraudulently registered cars involved and the DMV and California Department of Tax and Fee Administration have reviewing all car sales made in Montana.
California AG Rob Bonta said: “When bad actors abuse legal loopholes and submit fraudulent documents to evade their obligations, the California Department of Justice will not stand idly by.
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“Every dollar of unpaid taxes is a dollar taken from California’s roads, schools and the vital services our communities rely on.”
The DMV has launched nearly 100 criminal investigations into similar schemes across California since 2023 and recovered $2.3 million. It says the schemes are costing over $10 million per year. Office of the Attorney General of California
The AG’s office said Beverly Hills was the city with the most suspicious car sales, with 416 cases on its radar from the luxury enclave.
It also released a series of text messages from defendants in Marin County and Walnut Creek, which said: “Don’t want the state of California to know anything about this car.”
Another asked: “Before you deliver it to him can you please remove the dealer plate.” One more asked if those with Montana plates had issues, the reply was: “Not yet.”
Another defendant added: “70k saved — I can’t believe the registration lasts for five years — that’s crazy. Stupid California. Paid 3k to own a 600k car for 5 years — lol in Cali that’s like 75k for 5 years. Hella dumb.”
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California DMV Director Steve Gordon said: “We encourage all Californians to do the right thing and register their vehicle here if they are operating it in California.”
The No. 2 seed Montana State Bobcats (23-6) will square off against the No. 8 seed Montana Lady Griz (9-21) in the Big Sky tournament Sunday at Idaho Central Arena, tipping off at 4:30 p.m. ET.
How to watch Montana Lady Griz vs. Montana State Bobcats
Stats to know
Montana State averages 74.8 points per game (42nd in college basketball) while allowing 60.9 per contest (101st in college basketball). It has a +403 scoring differential overall and outscores opponents by 13.9 points per game.
Montana State makes 7.5 three-pointers per game (61st in college basketball) at a 29.4% rate (244th in college basketball), compared to the 6.7 its opponents make while shooting 32.9% from deep.
Montana has a -270 scoring differential, falling short by 9.0 points per game. It is putting up 62.2 points per game, 252nd in college basketball, and is allowing 71.2 per outing to rank 310th in college basketball.
Montana hits 2.2 more threes per game than the opposition, 9.2 (12th in college basketball) compared to its opponents’ 7.0.
This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
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Photo: Patrick Smith, Andy Lyons, Steph Chambers, Jamie Squire / Getty Images
BOISE, Idaho — It became clear at about 1 p.m. Saturday that Avery Waddington, Montana’s second leading scorer and top rebounder — would not play in the first round of the Big Sky Conference tournament at Idaho Central Arena.
Waddington was battling the onset of an illness since earlier in the morning that neither rest nor fluids could quell. Another starter — Jocelyn Land — wasn’t feeling her best, either, nor were two Lady Griz assistant coaches.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS:
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Depleted Montana edges NAU, sets up 2nd-round rematch with Montana State at Big Sky tourney
Some kind of bug had infiltrated the Montana women’s basketball team. But coach Nate Harris and the remaining Lady Griz weren’t about to bug out of the postseason, and went on to claim a 61-60 victory over Northern Arizona to keep their season intact.
No. 8-seeded Montana (9-21) advanced to secure a matchup with No. 2 seed and rival Montana State (23-6) in a Big Sky second-round game on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
“We just made it about, how hard can you play?” said Harris, who pumped his fist and celebrated with his team after NAU’s final shot rimmed off at the buzzer. “Everyone in here can defend their tail off, so let’s just get out there and guard, guard, guard and see if we can have one more point than the other team.”
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Harris’ words proved to be prophetic. Montana won by surviving a last-second shot by Northern Arizona’s Naomi White, an attempt she had to work hard to create after taking an inbound pass with less than three seconds left.
With the way they bowed out of last year’s Big Sky tournament — on a last-second shot by Montana State’s Marah Dykstra in the championship game — the Lady Griz were grateful to be on the other end of the drama.
“There have been situations where that memory has kind of come up (this season) and made me really nervous, and definitely today was one of them,” UM’s Mack Konig said. “However, you learn from your mistakes, and I think our team was prepared to play until the very end, so that was great.”
Greg Rachac / MTN Sports
Montana’s Joclyn Land drives during a game against Northern Arizona at the Big Sky Conference women’s basketball tournament at Idaho Central Arena on Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Boise, Idaho.
After gutting it out in the first half, Montana’s Land left the game in the second half due to her malaise. But Konig scored a team-high 17 points and Rae Ehrman added 16 to pace the Lady Griz. Kennedy Gillette contributed 15 points and nine rebounds.
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NAU’s White led all scorers with 24 points while hitting 10 of 10 from the foul line.
As Harris stated, defense did the trick for the Lady Griz. With that as a focus, and with players defending out of position, notably Gillette, Konig and Macy Donarski in the post, Montana held the Lumberjacks to 31.7% shooting and a 5-for-20 showing from 3-point range. White, one of the league’s best players, shot 6-for-22 from the floor.
The Lady Griz are moving on to a rematch with Montana State in the second round. The Bobcats won both regular-season matchups by an average of 27.5 points. Throw in the memory of last year’s title-game chaos, and it’s a matchup Montana is looking forward to.
“It just makes us really excited for (Sunday),” Gillette said. “Chloe (Larsen) said in the locker room that it’s hard to beat a team three times, so that kind of gives us some juice. We know what we need to do and what to focus on.”
“It’s not a hard answer, right?” Harris said. “You have to take care of the rock, you have to rebound and you have to match, if not exceed, their level of toughness. I think today was a great lesson moving into that game.”
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Big Sky women’s tournament scoreboard
Saturday, March 7
Game 1: No. 9 Weber State 76, No. 10 Portland State 53
