Greetings from Helena!
There are some legislators and bureaucrats who think “We the People” can’t operate without the government telling us what to do. That was very evident in the hearings this week at the Capitol regarding Child and Family Services (CFS). In the four states that border us, according to the latest available information, there are 3.9 million people and they have 5,700 children in foster care. In Montana, with 1 million people, there are close to 4,000 children in foster care. We have almost 3 times as many per capita in the custody of CFS as our surrounding states. In 2016, 14 children in Montana died while under the supervision of CFS and it doesn’t look like it is improving. Obviously CFS in our state doesn’t have all the answers and maybe has too much power.
A couple of bills we heard this week in Senate Fish and Game committee were SJ6 and SB185. SJ6 was a resolution asking the US Congress to take the grizzly bear off the endangered species list. SB185 was a bill that would end trapping and hunting of wolves in a buffer zone outside Yellowstone National Park. They were long hearings into the night with lots of passion on both sides. Neither hearing changed my mind. I will vote Yes on SJ6 and No on SB185.
The 2 agriculture bills that I carried, SB73 and SB137, passed through the Senate unanimously. They now move on to the House Agriculture Committee.
There were a lot of people from SD 18 in the Capitol this week. It was nice to visit and spend time with them.
I look forward to hearing from you regarding your questions or concerns. You can contact me by phone 406-989-1372, by e-mail [email protected], or by regular mail Senator Hinebauch Capitol Building PO Box 200500 Helena, Mt 59620-0500.
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