Montana
Montana Senate advances main state budget bill
HELENA — House Bill 2’s initial debate on the floor of the Montana House took almost a full day. Things went much faster on the Senate floor Thursday, where they wrapped up their debate on the main state budget bill after just under three hours.
The Senate gave initial approval to HB 2, on a 27-23 vote – with nine Republicans and all 18 Democrats voting to move it forward.
(Watch the video to see the changes lawmakers approved to HB 2.)
Montana Senate debates state budget
The bill includes roughly $16.6 billion in total spending over the next two years, with $5 billion from the state general fund. Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, who chairs the Senate Finance and Claims Committee, said the bill increased total spending by about 10% compared with the 2023 budget, and general fund spending by about 18%.
While the House went through each section of HB 2 in detail, the Senate generally gave only short overviews before moving on to debating amendments.
All together, senators considered 22 amendments Thursday. Most of them came from Republicans, led by Senate President Sen. Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, who sought to cut back what they saw as excessive spending.
“We came in with a surplus – a very large surplus – and I think we’ve lost track of exactly where that surplus, which is now negative, sits,” Regier said.
But senators only approved four changes, three of them from Democrats. They took off an amendment added in Senate Finance and Claims that increased funding for community colleges, restored funding for the pretrial diversion program, and removed millions of dollars in funding that would have paid to hire contract nurses at the Montana State Hospital – redirecting some of that money to fund nurse positions through the state.
“This amendment reduces contract labor, supports the state continuing to do what we asked them to do and hire state nurses at the hospital, and it’s going to save $35 million to the general fund,” said Sen. Ellie Boldman, D-Missoula, who sponsored the amendment on MSH.
“If we’re concerned about the patients in the state hospital, you better not vote for this amendment, because they’re going to be left without nurses,” said Glimm, who opposed that change. “The reason that we haven’t hired state employee nurses is because we can’t get them. That’s why we’ve hired traveling nurses at a much higher rate.”
Jonathon Ambarian
On many of the amendments, the vote was 27-23, with Democrats on the same side with the group of nine Republicans who have frequently broken with their party this session. Eight of those nine were among the Republicans who voted to advance HB 2 at the end of the debate.
Supporters of the bill said it was a good product.
“I think it’s a good compromise budget,” Senate Minority Leader Sen. Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade. “I think it meets the needs of Montanans in a fair and meaningful way.”
But the Republicans who opposed the budget said it was irresponsible not to do more to cut spending.
“We’re passing everything under the sun,” Glimm said. “I imagine that the governor’s going to veto his way to a balanced budget, because he’ll have to. That’s a job that we’re supposed to do, but we aren’t doing it.”
The full Senate will need to vote one more time on HB 2 before sending it back to the House. If the House accepts the Senate’s changes, they can send the bill directly to the governor’s desk. If they don’t, the bill will need to go to a conference committee to hammer out the differences.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 4, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 4 drawing
17-38-46-50-69, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from July 4 drawing
09-17-22-35-37, Star Ball: 05, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from July 4 drawing
04-13-19-26, Bonus: 07
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Montana Cash numbers from July 4 drawing
09-13-17-27-33
Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Emilie Sangimino started Kalispell Montana Hidden Gems with a simple mission: to help promote the local businesses and places she loved in the Flathead Valley.
Fast forward, and the social media accounts Sangimino started on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have a combined following of more than 113,000. Per analytics, the content she shares to highlight businesses in the area get upward of 1.5 million views per month. She’s expanded beyond her own base of Kalispell, highlighting businesses that are “hidden gems” in Billings, Missoula and Bozeman, with the help of local managers in each area. Hidden Gems has its own website as well, featuring businesses across several sectors like health & wellness; food & drink; places to stay; fun & adventure; shopping; professional services; and events.
And for the businesses she’s worked with, those views have converted to real-life people walking through the doors.
The formula Sangimino uses for promotion looks simple on its face. Most of her content consists of videos showing a beautiful location with white text over them.
“Did you know you can ride a rollercoaster down a mountain and mini golf all in one place in Lakeside, Montana?” a recent post highlighting Flathead Lake Alpine Coaster reads.
“Experience the Cabins at Blacktail for a day!” reads the caption on another.
When you click on a post, a video clip rolls, showcasing the business, property or event the post is meant to highlight. The reels also tag the businesses to direct visitors to their accounts.
“I wanted it to be more of storytelling about these incredible businesses, and I wanted to just really do my best to do the area justice that I felt like it deserved,” Sangimino said.
Julie Darrow, an owner of the Cabins at Blacktail, has worked with Sangimino and Kalispell Montana Hidden Gems for about two years.
Darrow’s business consists of six cabins on a 5-acre property in Lakeside. The property has a natural spring and creek that runs through it, and the cabins serve as hosts for short-term rentals or spaces to host weddings and retreats. Darrow said Sangimino posts reels of her business about once per month.
At first, Sangimino highlighted the full experience at the Cabins at Blacktail, but more recently, Darrow said she’s been helping the business highlight its weekday wellness and staycation options, which allow people to rent out a cabin for the day and create an experience with the plethora of options offered at the Cabins: yoga, massages, Pilates, a sauna and cold plunge.
Darrow said once Sangimino’s reels post, she often gets direct bookings and inquiries from customers.
“The key piece to this is that social media is awesome and incredible, and just because an account has a lot of followers, it does not mean that that’s producing business,” Darrow explained. “It doesn’t mean it’s converting. The incredible thing about what she’s doing is that we’re getting followers from her, but it’s also converting to engagement. We’re getting business.”
Denise Archer, who owns Scout & Gather Mercantile, a local business in Columbia Falls, has worked with Sangimino since fall of 2024, and seconded Darrow’s sentiments.
Archer’s business aims to host “a unique space that brings together shopping and experiences for both locals and visitors.” The mercantile has clothing, gifts and home décor; but the roadside destination also hosts events, has a spot to grab pizza or coffee, and has a mini golf course.
Archer explained when her family was first establishing the business, it was difficult to raise awareness, particularly outside of tourist seasons. She credited Sangimino and her work posting reels, stories, video content and working with the business on social media promotion with elevating the business’s visibility and helping attract people there, particularly during the off-season.
“We’ve seen noticeable growth in our social media following and engagement since working with her,” Archer wrote in an email. “Anecdotally, we’ve had many customers mention that they discovered us through Hidden Gems of Kalispell, which has been especially valuable.”
Sangimino said it’s common that consumers will use her account to plan their own trips to the Flathead — and elsewhere in the state.
For her, partnering and promoting local businesses serves as a meaningful effort.
“I can’t really emphasize how positive this business has been in my life personally,” Sangimino said. “It’s given me the opportunity, of course, to discover things that I wouldn’t have without this, but it’s also connected me with people and places in this area and just made me love it even more.”
She continued: “There is a zest to business and to experiences here that I didn’t even realize until I stepped foot into some of these places or connected with these incredible local business owners. And you know, I really look at it as a privilege to be given the opportunity to have a very small piece in the success of all the businesses here.”
And for the business owners, like Archer, being considered “hidden gems” has served as a boon for the businesses they run.
“Being considered a ‘Hidden Gem’ highlights the uniqueness of what we offer and helps position us as a must-visit destination for both locals and tourists looking for something special,” Archer said.
[email protected]
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 3, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 3 drawing
05-09-29-47-57, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from July 3 drawing
02-09-24-28, Bonus: 16
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 3 drawing
07-08-24-42-47, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
Indianapolis, IN48 seconds agoPeace on the Plaza: Community building through basketball
-
Pittsburg, PA8 minutes agoPittsburgh's Paul Skenes Named To National League All-Star Team
-
Augusta, GA11 minutes agoBREAKING: Parents of missing 4-year-old arrested, child believed to be deceased
-
Washington, D.C16 minutes agoUS at 250: How celebrations unfolded in Washington DC
-
Cleveland, OH23 minutes agoCleveland marks America’s 250th birthday with lakefront fireworks show
-
Austin, TX26 minutes agoIranian-Americans rally at Texas Capitol for “Free Iran” on Fourth of July
-
Alabama31 minutes agoFuneral set for Alabama firefighter killed in Colorado wildfire (my favorite)
-
Alaska38 minutes agoGargantuan Rockfish Pulled From The Depths Of Alaska Ocean By Florida Man Is Older Than Your Grandmother
