Montana

Montana Senate advances bill that would criminalize transgender procedures for youth

Published

1 year ago

February 3, 2025

Montana Senate advances bill that would criminalize transgender procedures for youth

HELENA — Last legislative session, Montana lawmakers passed a law – currently held up in court – that prohibits gender-affirming procedures for transgender youth. On Monday, the state Senate endorsed a bill that would define providing those procedures to children under the age of 16 as criminal child endangerment.

Senators gave initial approval to Senate Bill 164, sponsored by Sen. John Fuller, R-Kalispell, on a 30-20 vote. If the bill becomes law, someone convicted of providing or procuring surgeries or hormone treatment to alter the perceived gender of a child under 16 could face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The maximum sentence would be up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine if a judge or jury determined there was “serious bodily injury.”

Jonathon Ambarian

Sen. John Fuller, R-Kalispell, presented Senate Bill 164, which would criminalize transgender medical treatment for individuals under the age of 16, Feb. 3, 2025.

Supporters of SB 164 said Monday that it was needed to protect children from procedures that could have long-term health consequences.

“I wouldn’t want to wish that on anybody, let alone children,” said Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton. “I believe it is our obligation to protect Montana’s children from these circumstances.”

Opponents of the bill said it was overreaching and could lead to parents and health care providers facing charges.

“It’s one thing to think that supporting a child’s transition is the wrong choice; we can all have our opinions, that is fine,” said Sen. Cora Neumann, D-Bozeman. “However, protecting freedom means that parents who love their children and want to help them have their freedom to choose.”

“They’re just trying to get help for their children,” said Sen. Wendy McKamey, R-Great Falls. “And if they cannot trust the help, if they cannot find the help, if they think that they’re going to be penalized by trying to find this help, they’re not going to seek the help.”

Opponents also argued studies have shown withholding gender-affirming procedures from transgender youth could put them at a higher risk of suicide. Those in favor of the bill argued the data is not clear on whether that is the case.

Fuller also sponsored SB 99, the 2023 bill currently facing a challenge to its constitutionality. Regardless of that case, he said he believed SB 164 would ultimately be upheld.

“I would offer to you that the state does have a compelling interest, a very compelling interest,” he said.

All but two Republicans voted for SB 164, while all Democrats voted against it.

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Montana

Your guide to local sports events, plus what’s on TV

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6 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Your guide to local sports events, plus what’s on TV

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Montana

Montana Department of Agriculture focusing on innovation in 2026

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18 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Montana Department of Agriculture focusing on innovation in 2026

HELENA — You probably have goals and plans for 2026—the Montana Department of Agriculture does too.

“We’re really focusing on innovative agricultural practices,” Montana Department of Agriculture director Jillien Streit said.

It’s no secret that agriculture—farming and ranching—is not easy. There are long days, planning, monitoring crops and livestock, and other challenges beyond farmers’ and ranchers’ control.

(WATCH: Montana Department of Agriculture focusing on innovation in 2026)

Montana Department of Agriculture focusing on innovation in 2026

“We have very low commodity prices across the board,” Streit said. “We still have very high input prices across the board, and we have really high prices when it comes to our equipment, and so, it’s a really tough year.”

But innovation, including new practices, partnerships and technology use, can help navigate some of those challenges.

“We can’t make more time and we can’t make more land, so we need to start putting together innovative practices that help us maximize what our time and land can do,” Streit said.

Practices range from using technology like autonomous tractors and virtual fencing—allowing rangers to contain and move cattle right from their phones—to regenerative farming and ranching.

“It is bringing cattle back into farming operations to be able to work with cover cropping practices to invigorate the soil for new soil health benefits,” Streit said.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is working to help producers learn, share, and collaborate on new ideas to work in their operations.

The department will share stories of practices that work from farms and ranches across the state. Also, within the next year or so, Streit said the department is hoping to roll out technology to help producers collaborate.

“(It’s) providing a communication platform where people can get together and really help each other out by utilizing each other’s assets,” she said.

While not easy, agriculture is still one of Montana’s largest industries, and Streit said innovating and sharing ideas across the state can keep it going long into the future.

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Frontier Conference women: MSU-Northern, Montana Western pull upsets to advance to semifinal round

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1 day ago

March 1, 2026

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Frontier Conference women: MSU-Northern, Montana Western pull upsets to advance to semifinal round

BUTTE — MSU-Northern and Montana Western pulled a pair of upsets Saturday at the Butte Civic Center to wrap up the quarterfinal round of the Frontier Conference women’s basketball postseason tournament.

The fifth-seeded Skylights started the day with a red-hot shooting performance to down No. 4 Rocky Mountain College 82-74. Western, the sixth seed, used a third-quarter surge to defeat No. 3 Carroll College 65-56.

MSU-Northern (17-11) and Western (14-13) now advance to Sunday’s semifinal round, where the Skylights will play No. 1 seed Dakota State at noon and the Bulldogs will face No. 2 Montana Tech at 2:30 p.m.

MSU-Northern 82, Rocky Mountain College 74

MSU-Northern sizzled in the first quarter, making seven 3-pointers to take a double-digit lead, and put together a crucial third-quarter run to get past Rocky and advance to the semifinal round.

Becky Melcher splashed four 3s in the first 10 minutes, and Taya Trottier, Canzas HisBadHorse and Shania Moananu added one apiece as the Skylights built a 29-13 lead. Melcher scored 14 first-quarter points and finished with a game-high 30 on 10-of-19 shooting (7 of 15 from 3-point range). She added 11 rebounds, a blocked shot and three steals to her stat line.

Rocky battled back to tie the game at 36-36 in the second quarter on a Brenna Linse basket, but MSUN responded with consecutive triples from Trottier and Melcher and took a 44-38 lead into halftime. The Bears eventually stole the lead back in the third quarter following a 9-0 run capped be an Isabelle Heggem bucket.

But the Skylights again answered — this time with a 13-2 run to take a 60-51 lead. MSUN led 66-59 going to the fourth and wouldn’t trail the rest of the way. The Skylights trailed for less than two total minutes of the game.

As a team, MSUN made 14 of 26 3s in the game. Ciera Agasiva was 3 for 3 from behind the arc, and Trottier was 2 for 3. Trottier had 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Agasiva had 13 points.

Paige Wasson led Rocky (20-9) with 29 points but was 0 for 10 on 3-point attempts. Heggem had a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Montana Western 65, Carroll 56

After neither team led by more than five points in the first half, Western broke open a 25-25 tie game by outscoring Carroll 20-9 in the third quarter.

Bailee Sayler scored 10 points in the quarter, including making two 3-pointers, to help the Bulldogs take control. They led 45-34 going to the fourth, and Carroll wouldn’t get closer than six points the rest of the way.

The Fighting Saints were just 18-of-65 shooting (27.7%) for the game.

Sayler scored an efficient 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting. She was 2 for 3 from 3-point range and 6 for 7 at the free throw line. The Missoula native also had nine rebounds.

Isabella Lund added 16 points for the Bulldogs, and Keke Davis had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Carroll (19-10) was led by Kenzie Allen with 12 points. Willa Albrecht and Meagan Karstetter scored 11 points apiece for the Saints.

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