Montana

Decade-long legal challenge to abortion consent law reaches Montana Supreme Court

Published

2 years ago

March 7, 2024

Decade-long legal challenge to abortion consent law reaches Montana Supreme Court

HELENA — On Wednesday, the Montana Supreme Court heard arguments in a decade-long case, challenging a law that would require parental consent before a minor could get an abortion.

In 2013, the Montana Legislature passed House Bill 391, which prohibited anyone under 18 from getting an abortion without notarized written consent from their parent or legal guardian. Exceptions would be allowed in a medical emergency or if a minor successfully petitioned a court to waive the requirement.

The bill became law without the signature of then-Gov. Steve Bullock, but it never went into effect, as Planned Parenthood of Montana sued over it and the office of then-Attorney General Tim Fox accepted a preliminary injunction. Over the following years, the case passed through several district court judges, eventually ending up with District Judge Chris Abbott of Helena. Last year, he ruled the law was invalid because it infringed on the right to privacy in the Montana Constitution.

Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s office appealed Abbott’s decision, saying he used the wrong standard when judging the law. Abbott applied “strict scrutiny,” meaning the state had to show a compelling interest to justify the law and that it was narrowly tailored to achieve its goal.

Deputy solicitor general Brent Mead told justices Wednesday that the law should be analyzed differently because the Montana Constitution grants the state more authority to make laws that affect the rights of people under the age of 18. He said that means the Armstrong decision – the 1999 Montana Supreme Court ruling that said abortion was covered under the state constitution’s right of privacy – doesn’t apply in full here.

“Under Article 2, Section 15, a minor’s rights can be infringed if the law is designed to protect them,” said Mead. “And so in this case, the full Article 2, Section 10 – the right to privacy – doesn’t attach because the law is designed to protect them in that protected interest.”

Mead said the court should instead balance the individual rights of the minor with the rights of their parents and the state’s legitimate interest in protecting minors.

Justices questioned Mead on why strict scrutiny should not apply in this case, and whether the consent requirement was the least restrictive method possible, given an earlier law that only required a parent be notified – which also faced a lawsuit. Mead said the law was intended to resolve a loophole in the parental notification law and the two shouldn’t be directly contrasted.

Attorneys representing Planned Parenthood said Wednesday that Abbott did use the proper standard when deciding the case. They said, under strict scrutiny, the state would have to point to a legitimate health or safety risk to justify the law as a protection for minors, and they hadn’t done so.

Attorney Tanis Holm said the parental consent requirement would apply only to abortion, not to a variety of other procedures.

“Whatever interest the state has in promoting parental authority must be exercised neutrally, not as to favor childbirth over abortion, and certainly not to step in the shoes of parents to regulate the family relationship,” she said. “That is what the state is doing here.”

In questioning Holm, Justice Laurie McKinnon said that the court’s decision in a case last year had established a precedent that abortions are generally safe.

As is typical, the court took no immediate action after Wednesday’s arguments. Justice Beth Baker presided over the hearing in place of Chief Justice Mike McGrath, who recused himself from the case. Baker said the court would release their decision in due course.

This isn’t the only abortion-related case the Supreme Court is considering right now. They’ve also received an appeal, challenging a ruling from Knudsen’s office that blocked a ballot measure that would specifically protect access to abortion in the Montana Constitution. The office said the proposed amendment violated Montana’s requirement that unrelated constitutional changes be voted on separately.

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Montana

Miley Cyrus teases Hannah Montana 20th anniversary: ‘You see the bangs’

Published

12 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Miley Cyrus teases Hannah Montana 20th anniversary: ‘You see the bangs’

Move over Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana is coming.

The “Flowers” singer is revisiting her Disney Channel roots, donning the signature blonde look of the fictional popstar ahead of the sitcom’s 20th anniversary in March.

At the Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Jan. 3, Cyrus confirmed she is involved with plans for the milestone date.

“Absolutely. We’re working hard on them,” she told Variety.

While she said she couldn’t say more about what’s in store for fans, Cyrus pointed to her blonde hairstyle, adding, “You see the bangs.”

Cyrus starred in the series alongside Emily Osment, Mitchel Musso and father Billy Ray Cyrus, between March 2006 and January 2011, and starred in the 2009 feature film “Hannah Montana: The Movie.” Under the Hannah Montana persona, she also released multiple platinum-selling soundtracks and headlined the Best of Both Worlds Tour, which grossed over $54 million.

What’s happening for the Hannah Montana 20th anniversary?

The Grammy-winning musician first teased plans for the anniversary in a July 22 interview on SiriusXM.

“I want to design something really, really special for it because it really was the beginning of all of this,” she said. “Without Hannah, there wouldn’t really be this me.”

“It’s crazy to think that I started as a character that I thought was going to be impossible to shed, and now that’s something that when I walk into a space, it’s looked at as this sense of kind of, like, nostalgia or something that you have from your childhood,” she added. “So, that’s exciting to get to celebrate that.”

Will there be a Hannah Montana tour in 2026?

Cyrus has not announced plans to tour as “Hannah Montana” for the show’s 20th anniversary.

While exact anniversary plans remain under wraps, a tour seems unlikely, as Cyrus has previously expressed a lack of interest in touring.

During a May 2023 interview with British Vogue, the “Something Beautiful” singer added that while she enjoys performing for her friends, noting that “singing for hundreds of thousands of people isn’t really the thing that I love.”

Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY

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Montana

Montana State’s Taylee Chirrick earns second straight Big Sky Conference weekly honor

Published

24 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Montana State’s Taylee Chirrick earns second straight Big Sky Conference weekly honor

BOZEMAN — For the second consecutive week, Montana State sophomore guard Taylee Chirrick has been named Big Sky Conference player of the week, the league office announced Tuesday.

The 5-foot-11 product of Roberts scored the game-winning basket with 1.7 seconds remaining to lift the Bobcats to a 71-70 upset of Big 12 member Colorado on Sunday afternoon at the CU Events Center. Chirrick finished the contest with 21 points, which included a 7-for-7 effort at the free throw line.

Chirrick once again stuffed the stat sheet, pulling down a team-best six rebounds, while adding four steals, three assists and a pair of 3-pointers in the victory.

Chirrick is currently ranked third in the nation averaging 4.5 steals per game, and her 27 total steals rank 14th overall. Her 19.8 points per game rank second in the Big Sky and 28th in the nation.

Montana State opens the Big Sky Conference/Summit League Challenge on Wednesday at North Dakota State in Fargo. Tip is slated for 6 p.m. (MT) in the Scheels Center. The game will air live on the CBS Sports Network.

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Montana

Photos: Montana State clips Illinois State to win national championship

Published

1 day ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Photos: Montana State clips Illinois State to win national championship

Montana State plays Illinois State in the FCS national championship game at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.Justin Hosa / MTN Sports

Montana State topped Illinois State 35-34 in overtime to claim their first National Championship since 1984.TOM WYLIE/MTN Sports

Montana State plays Illinois State in the FCS national championship game at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.Kyle Hansen / MTN Sports

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Decade-long legal challenge to abortion consent law reaches Montana Supreme Court

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Decade-long legal challenge to abortion consent law reaches Montana Supreme Court

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Miley Cyrus teases Hannah Montana 20th anniversary: ‘You see the bangs’

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Will there be a Hannah Montana tour in 2026?

Montana

Montana State’s Taylee Chirrick earns second straight Big Sky Conference weekly honor

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Decade-long legal challenge to abortion consent law reaches Montana Supreme Court

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Miley Cyrus teases Hannah Montana 20th anniversary: ‘You see the bangs’

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Will there be a Hannah Montana tour in 2026?

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