A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
Bullock vetoed SB-334, Sen. Jennifer Fielder’s (R-Thompson Falls) bill to define fur bearing animals as game animals under the provision in Montana’s constitution that protects hunting. SB-334 was introduced and passed to preclude a citizens initiative banning trapping on public lands. I’m surprised that Bullock vetoed the bill, but I’m glad that he did. Veto messsage (PDF).
How Flathead legislators voted. On the third reading in the MT House, Flathead Democrats Ed Lieser and Zac Perry voted Nay, while Republicans Keith Regier, Carl Glimm, Frank Garner, Steve Lavin, Randy Brohdel, Mark Noland, and Albert Olszewski vote Aye. In the MT Senate, Flathead Republicans Dee Brown, Bruce Tudvedt, Mark Blasdel, and Bob Keenan all voted Aye.
Updated and corrected. Unfortunately, Bullock signed SB-375, Sen. Scott Sales’ (R-Bozeman) bill that raises the speed limit on some sections of rural interstate highways to 80 mph, and mandates hefty increases in fines for speeding. The highway patrol supported the bill because of the revenue increases generated by the bigger fines. Speed kills, so this is blood money for the highway patrol.
Rep. Steve Lavin (R-Kalispell), who works for the Montana Highway Patrol, generously sent me a note explaining why the highway patrol supported SB-375:
The MHP supported this bill for a couple of reasons. First, the thought was that one of the several speed raise bills would pass this session, as most of the states around us have done the same. Secondly, as you’re aware, this particular bill involved an increase in fines. MT is very low compared with other states on fines, so the thought was that the increase in fines would be a deterrent to speeding.
The MHP doesn’t see a dime of the revenue from fines. Fifty percent goes to the state general fund, and the rest go to the county where the violation occurred.
I agree that Montana’s fines for speeding should be increased, although I think the Finnish formula for assessing fines does a better job of dealing with and deterring rich scofflaws.
But fines can be increased without raising the speed limit. That neighboring states set dangerously high speed limits is irrelevant. The kinetic energy in a moving object increases as the square of the increase in speed, so the 6.7 percent increase to 80 mph from 75 mph increases the kinetic energy by 13.8 percent. With increased speeds come increased braking distances, less time for drivers to react, and hotter tires. Increasing the speed limit in exchange for increasing fines was, in my judgment, a bad bargain.
How Flathead legislators voted. On the third reading in the MT Senate, Flathead Republicans Dee Brown, Bruce Tutvedt, and Mark Blasdel voted for SB-334, while Bob Keenan voted against it. On the third reading in the MT House, Flathead Democrats Ed Lieser and Zac Perry voted Nay, while Republicans Keith Regier, Carl Glimm, Frank Garner, Steve Lavin, Randy Brohdel, Mark Noland, and Albert Olszewski voted Aye.