Montana
Lawmakers Propose Special Session to Criminalize Undocumented Immigration, Regulate Nonprofits in Montana – Flathead Beacon
A group of Montana lawmakers is calling for a special legislative session to regulate undocumented immigration and reconfigure statewide marijuana tax revenue. The proposal arrived a week after a migrant family landed in Kalispell, spawning calls for tighter immigration policy from Republican officials and unsubstantiated allegations of migrant trafficking directed towards a local nonprofit.
Speaker of the Montana House Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, on Tuesday sent a letter to Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen asking that Jacobsen poll lawmakers to convene a special session on June 24. In the letter, Regier called for legislators to restrict the entry of undocumented migrants into Montana, as well as regulate businesses, nonprofits and individuals who aid migrants.
Penned by Regier, the letter was signed by Republican legislative leaders, as well as Flathead Valley lawmakers Rep. Tanner Smith, R-Lakeside; Rep. Bob Keenan, R-Bigfork; Rep. Amy Regier, R-Kalispell; Rep. Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls; Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila; Sen. John Fuller, R-Kalispell; and Sen. Mark Noland, R-Bigfork.
Regier told the Beacon that he is open to various ideas for restricting the movement of undocumented immigrants into the state and lauded recently passed legislation in Texas and Iowa.
Texas last year passed a law that allows state police to arrest individuals for illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Under the law, a person can be charged with a misdemeanor if a police officer believes they have evidence that the person illegally crossed the border. The law is currently blocked by a federal appeals court.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds last month signed a bill modeled off of the Texas legislation that makes illegal immigration into Iowa a state crime. Under the law, state courts would be allowed to order the deportation of undocumented immigrants and state agencies would be able to transport migrants to ports of entry. The bill is set to go into effect July 1; however, it may face similar legal challenges to the Texas law.
Regier said immigration is now “front and center here in Montana.”
Republican officials last week called for the deportation of a Venezuelan migrant family that landed in Kalispell and floated unsubstantiated claims that local nonprofit Valley Neighbors had conspired with the Biden Administration to transport migrants to the area. Valley Neighbors said they did not help the migrants travel to Kalispell, and officials could not provide any evidence that the group transported the migrant family or worked with the federal government to relocate immigrants.
Regier said he would be open to criminalizing nonprofit groups, individuals and businesses who hire and/or aid undocumented migrants.
Tacked onto the letter is a request for lawmakers to iron out the distribution of marijuana tax revenue. A popular bill to funnel marijuana funding towards county road repairs and conservation projects died last month after lawmakers voted not to override a veto by the governor. The once widely supported bill soured for lawmakers after procedural mishaps led the judiciary to compel the executive branch to carry out a veto override poll.
According to Regier, the court weighing in on the matter was “unconstitutional” and lawmakers should return to Helena to iron out the issue.
This is the fourth request for a special session by lawmakers since the Legislature adjourned last spring. Democrats in July and the conservative Montana Freedom Caucus in November called for special sessions to address rising property taxes, both of which failed. Twelve Republican lawmakers earlier this week called for a special session to consider bills allowing Supreme Court candidates to run with a party label. Supreme Court races are currently nonpartisan.
A 2018 special session called by Gov. Steve Bullock cost nearly $210,000.
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Montana
French Montana Shares Rare Insight into Khloe Kardashian Relationship
Where Khloe Kardashian Stands With Ex French Montana More Than 10 Years After Breakup
French Montana is done keeping up with reality TV.
In fact, he only agreed to appear on Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Kourtney & Khloé Take the Hamptons over a decade ago as a favor to then-girlfriend Khloe Kardashian.
“She said to get on the show,” he exclusively told E! News at the BET Awards on June 28. “And I got on the show. Shout out to Khloe.”
The “Ever Since U Left Me” rapper, who split with Kardashian in December 2014 after eight months of dating, said the experience was “fun” because her family kept it real.
“They filmed their real life,” he continued. “And we were part of something together that one time. So it felt great. It didn’t feel like work because they film what they do everyday.”
As for his future in reality TV, the 41-year-old said those days are over, shutting down any prospective offers with a simple, “Negative.”
Although the “Unforgettable” artist—whose real name is Karim Kharbouch—may not be returning to television anytime soon, he has no problem hanging out with his ex-girlfriend these days.
Montana
French Montana, Rick Ross & Max B Turn the BET Awards Into “ – BET Awards 2026 | BET
French Montana, Rick Ross & Max B Turn the BET Awards Into “
06/28/2026
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Montana
Montana nurse and Guard member earns national Air Force recognition
GREAT FALLS — For Staff Sgt. Brianna St. Lawrence-Brody, service does not only happen in uniform.
Outside the gates of the base, she works at Benefis as a nurse, Great Falls Public Schools as a school nurse, and comes home as a wife and mom of four. For the Montana Air National Guard, she serves as a command post controller with the 120th Airlift Wing in Great Falls.
(WATCH: Montana nurse and Guard member earns national Air Force recognition)
Montana nurse and Guard member earns national Air Force recognition
This year, St. Lawrence-Brody was named the U.S. Air National Guard’s Outstanding Airman of the Year in the Non-Commissioned Officer category.
She said the recognition came as a surprise, especially because her path into the Guard started later than others.
“I joined very late in life,” St. Lawrence-Brody said. “I joined the Guard right before I turned 40. So for me, every opportunity that’s presented, I want to take the bull by the horns and just run with it and do the best of my ability.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she joined the Guard after finishing nursing school. She said she went straight from nursing school into helping open a COVID unit, while also working at Benefis.
She said that experience was the start of one journey, but not the whole of what she wanted to accomplish.
St. Lawrence-Brody joined the Guard for the opportunities, the challenge and to help build a future for her four children.
“It’s a little bit of a competition for myself,” she said. “Like, if I can do it, why not try my best to achieve it?”
120th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
As a command post controller, she assists in helping move information during emergencies and major events.
“Outside, obviously, I’m a nurse. Inside the Guard, I have nothing to do with the medical field, which is kind of amazing,” St. Lawrence-Brody said. “It keeps me on my toes.”
She explained balancing the Guard, two civilian jobs and four children takes support from her family, her employers and her unit. She said Benefis and GFPS have been supportive of her military service.
Her nomination included her deployment experience, training work overseas and involvement across the wing. St. Lawrence-Brody said she deployed to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where she worked with an operations center supporting entities connected to Africa.
But, she says this recognition is not the finish line.
“This award, it’s not necessarily a landing pad for me,” St. Lawrence-Brody said. “I want to use it as a springboard.”
120th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
St. Lawrence-Brody hopes her story encourages others to keep taking on new opportunities, even when they feel uncertain.
“Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and be okay with doing things afraid,” she said. “I think when you get to be okay with doing things afraid, that’s where you’re going to find the growth.”
She has already won at the Air National Guard level, but she recently traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of the broader Air Force Outstanding Airman of the Year process, which includes nominees from the Guard, Reserve and major commands across the Air Force.
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