Montana

Montana Supreme Court overturns 2013 abortion consent law

Published

1 year ago

August 14, 2024

Montana Supreme Court overturns 2013 abortion consent law

HELENA — After a legal challenge that stretched out for over a decade, the Montana Supreme Court has invalidated a state law that would have required parental consent before a minor could get an abortion.

All seven justices ruled Wednesday that the law infringed on the right of privacy under the Montana Constitution, and that the state had not shown enough evidence to justify it as enhancing protections for minors.

“We also acknowledge that the State has a substantial interest in preserving the family, protecting minors, and protecting the rights of parents to raise their children,” wrote Justice Laurie McKinnon. “However, when weighed against the right of a minor to make the most intimate and personal decision of whether to carry a child to term, the interests expressed by the State must be furthered by and substantially related to the legislation itself, and the legislation must be narrowly tailored to meet only those legitimate legislative goals.”

The court heard oral arguments on this case in March, almost 11 years after the challenge was initially filed.

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.

Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s office appealed the decision, saying Abbott had used the wrong standard when reviewing the law. State attorneys argued the Montana Constitution grants more authority to make laws that affect the rights of people under the age of 18, so the Armstrong decision – the 1999 Montana Supreme Court ruling that said abortion was covered under the state constitution’s right of privacy – didn’t apply in full here.

Attorneys for Planned Parenthood argued the state couldn’t point to a legitimate health or safety risk to justify the law, and that they weren’t applying their interests neutrally because the consent requirement would only apply to abortion, not to other procedures.

In her majority opinion, McKinnon echoed those points. She noted that the court has concluded in cases as recently as last year that abortion is safe and presents minimal health risks. She said the state hadn’t demonstrated requiring parental consent would protect minors from sexual abuse, physical and mental health impacts or immature decision-making.

McKinnon also said applying the consent requirement to minors wanting to get an abortion but not those wanting to continue a pregnancy discriminates against those choosing abortion.

McKinnon’s opinion was joined by Justices Jim Shea, Ingrid Gustafson, Dirk Sandefur and Beth Baker, as well as District Judge Elizabeth Best, who heard the case in place of Chief Justice Mike McGrath after he recused himself.

Justice Jim Rice wrote a concurring opinion. He agreed the consent requirement infringed on the right to privacy and should be found unconstitutional on that basis. He disagreed with McKinnon’s finding that there was an equal protection issue based on whether a minor chooses to get an abortion or continue their pregnancy, but said there was different treatment of those seeking an abortion based on whether or not they were under 18, and that the law still wasn’t narrowly tailored enough to satisfy the state’s interests in that case.

Rice also criticized what he called “the judiciary’s failure to address this case in a timely fashion.”

“While perhaps no single individual or court bears all the blame, the public’s confidence in the judiciary rests on the expectation that the courts will faithfully execute judicial duties,” he wrote. “The public deserves better than what occurred in this case, and courts must do better.”

Click here to read the full court ruling.

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Montana

Miley Cyrus on Marking 20th ‘Hannah Montana’ Anniversary: ‘I Want the Fans to Really Feel Seen’

Published

8 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

Miley Cyrus on Marking 20th ‘Hannah Montana’ Anniversary: ‘I Want the Fans to Really Feel Seen’

Miley Cyrus has detailed how she came to write “Dream as One,” her Golden Globe-nominated ballad that appears during the end credits of her Disney “legend-in-law” James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, which opened this weekend. She also hinted at how she plans to mark the upcoming 20th anniversary of her own Disney show’s Hannah Montana.

In a new interview with Variety conducted following the world premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash in Los Angeles, Cyrus shared the story of how her song “Dream as One” ended up in Cameron’s film. She said that while she was backstage last summer at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, the director was ahead of her in line, along with Jamie Lee Curtis and Harrison Ford.

First, Curtis tapped Cyrus for the end credits to The Last Showgirl, which led to the Golden Globe-nominated “Beautiful That Way.” Then, Cyrus — a fan of the Avatar franchise — took a chance for a bucket-list opportunity and asked Cameron about how things were going on Fire and Ice. Turned out, Cameron had already discussed Cyrus with Avatar composer Simon Franglen and the idea of them working together.

Cameron came up with the song’s name, reflecting the film’s finale. Cyrus and collaborators Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt took it from there. “Coming in at the end was actually really helpful, because, when you’ve worked on something for like 20 years, you get so close to it that it’s hard to see it from that outside perspective,” Cyrus said. “I’m just writing it like someone who loves Avatar.”

As for what her plans are for marking the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana in spring 2026, she told the outlet she hopes to bring an element from Avatar into her approach to the occasion as she considers how she might commemorate it.

“Something that they always say in Avatar is ‘I see you’ — and that’s something really important that I want the fans to feel during the ‘Hannah-versary,’” Cyrus said. “Someone called it the ‘Hannah’ anniversary the other day, and I was like ‘No, no, no, it’s the ‘Hannah-versary,’” she said, adding, “I want the fans to really feel seen. They know that I appreciate them, but I also see like their growth. Because I have these moments all the time where people celebrate my evolution, but I see theirs as much as they see mine.”

When asked whether a celebration might involve in-person events or a concert tour, she teased, “TBD. That’s still in the works.” She added, “Everything takes time. I want to make something that’s meaningful, thoughtful, and really satisfying for the fans.”

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Montana Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life results for Dec. 20, 2025

Published

20 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 20, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

04-05-28-52-69, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

08-21-30-41-47, Lucky Ball: 15

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

09-12-34-45-50, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

03-06-12-30, Bonus: 11

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

05-08-19-23-43, Powerball: 06

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Montana Cash numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

02-21-25-40-41

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.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

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.

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Game Day Live Blog: Louisville vs. Montana | Game 12

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Game Day Live Blog: Louisville vs. Montana | Game 12

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Louisville men’s basketball program suffered a setback in their last time out on the floor, but the time has come to bounce back, as they return to the KFC Yum! Center to host Montana.

The Cardinals made the trek down to Rocky Top for a top-20 showdown at Tennessee, but they were punched in the mouth early and couldn’t recover. UofL wound up suffering a demoralizing 83-62 loss, falling to 0-2 in true road games so far this season.

Louisville was without star point guard Mikel Brown Jr. due to a lower back injury, but even with him on the floor, it’s unlikely they would have taken down UT. They shot just 37.9 percent from the floor, with Adrian Wooley and Ryan Conwell combining for 43 of their points. In fact, the Cards had twice as many turnovers (16) as they did assists (8), and let the Vols shoot 54.7 from the floor.

As for the Grizzlies, they are coming off a 2024-25 season in which they made the NCAA Tournament by way of winning the Big Sky Conference Tournament. However, year 12 under head coach Travis DeCuire has been up-and-down.

Montana is 1-1 against KenPom top-100 teams, losing 86-81 at Texas A&M but winning 102-93 at UNLV. Additionally, in their last time out, the Griz lost 82-75 to Montana Tech – an NAIA school – at home.

Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Montana Grizzlies

Here is where you will get all the latest updates from today’s contest in real time. Throughout the game, we will include any notes, injury updates and analysis in the game feed at the link below.