Latest news with #TheresaManzella
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers approve bill restricting display of some flags on public property
Apr. 25—A law prohibiting the display of certain flags and banners on government property passed the Montana Legislature on Tuesday. House Bill 819 restricts flags and banners that "represent a political viewpoint" from being displayed on grounds owned or leased by state, county and local governments, including public schools, universities, courthouses and administrative buildings. Among the list of banned flags are any motifs that pertain to a specific race, sexual orientation, or gender, including Black Lives Matter flags and flags representing members of the LGBTQ+ community. Republican lawmakers showed resounding support for the measure, which was introduced by Rep. Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls, arguing that some restriction was necessary to preserve government unity. "I was thrilled whenever the pro-life movement got our flag suspended in the rotunda, but I would be willing to give that up if we could tone down the polarization in this building," said Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton. "I would give up the pro-life flag along with the rainbow flag, myself." Democrats in both chambers claimed the measure was chaotic, contradictory and potentially unconstitutional. During an April 18 hearing on the Senate floor, Sen. Ellie Boldman, D-Missoula, declared the bill "a First Amendment nightmare." She focused on the bill's definition of a flag as "any physical or digital material designed for display on a flagpole, building, wall, vehicle, or other structure," questioning whether a picture of a rainbow on a teacher's door or a cross decal on a student's locker might be prohibited under the law. "We know this is going to be a lawsuit," said Boldman. Lawmakers disagreed on whether a later section of the bill stating restrictions only applied to official government displays effectively preserved personal expressions of free speech if they occur on government property. Other lawmakers pointed to the inclusion of the Gadsden flag under a list of allowable displays as evidence of the legislation's bias. While the so-called "Don't Tread on Me" flag originated as a symbol against British tyranny during the Revolutionary War and is still widely in use today — it graces a Montana license plate design, for example — the rattlesnake motif also has been adopted by extremist movements. When questioned on the House floor, Mitchell conceded that the Confederate flag could also be considered a flag of historical significance, making it an allowable display under HB 819. He refused to answer subsequent inquiries regarding what other flags might be considered historically significant. Rep. Marilyn Marler, D-Missoula, questioned why the law would protect two flags meant to depict resistance to government authority while barring LGBTQ+ pride flags, which she described as a sign of inclusivity. "Call it what it is," she said of the bill. "It does not treat all viewpoints equally." Some tribal nations also voiced opposition to the bill's list of allowable flags, which includes the official flag of federally recognized tribes but excludes other symbols important to tribal identity such as specific clan flags and the flag of the Blackfoot Confederacy. The bill passed through both Houses along party lines and is now pending approval from the governor. Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at hsmalley@ or 758-4433.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Montana House passes bill to give towing vehicles right-of-way in roundabouts
A Montana Department of Transportation graphic illustrates how to navigate a double roundabout. (Courtesy image) The Montana House unanimously passed a bill addressing how vehicles approach roundabouts on Friday, specifically adding stipulations into the law giving preference for vehicles towing a load. Senate Bill 433, brought by Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton, changes regulations for how vehicles approach roundabouts. Hauling vehicles will legally be allowed to deviate from their lane to move through a traffic circle. Other autos in the roundabout must yield to hauling vehicles. Manzella said during a House Transportation Committee hearing on March 21 the legislation stemmed from discussions over a roundabout on Highway 93 at its intersection with Bell Crossing near Victor and subsequent town halls about the topic. 'When you are a tow vehicle pulling a trailer, we feel that that tow vehicle needs to be given the right-of- way,' Manzella said. 'Because of the fact that when you're entering the roundabout, your rear tires don't necessarily track. They want to crowd to the inside.' There's also usually a berm on roundabouts, Manzella said, which can cause whatever's being hauled around to move around. Constituents said this was the problem, and it's also been a complaint from trucking companies across the country. 'For me, it's my horses, which are precious, and I don't dare bludgeon them,' Manzella said. ' …I have had that happen before, where they have injured their pretty little faces, pushing themselves, getting bumped into the trailer wall.' The bill will also have an impact on double-lane roundabouts, which can be used on four-lane highways. It allows trailers to legally deviate from one of the lanes. Manzella's legislation received support from the Montana Department of Transportation, which maintains a database of roundabouts across the state. Roundabouts are generally safer than four-way intersections, as the possibility of T-bone collisions is drastically reduced, according to MDOT. 'Not every intersection demands a roundabout, but for those that do, this is an important tool for us to have in our toolbox, and any effort that we can make to make them safer is a welcome opportunity,' said Larry Flynn, MDOT deputy director during the bill's House hearing. 'I think this is a good, common sense approach to help improve the safety of an already safe tool.' After a final procedural approval in the House, the bill will head to the governor's desk.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate bill could establish chaplain program for Montana public schools
A recently passed Senate Bill would allow public schools to have chaplains. (Photo illustration by Getty Images) Religious leaders could be coming to Montana public schools under a bill passed by the state Senate last week. Senate Bill 525, brought by Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton, would allow — though not require — chaplains to either be paid by or volunteer at school districts to provide support, services and programs. It would apply to both public districts and at public charter schools, and if they're approved by a school board, could use public money to do so. Supporters argued the bill could help with student mental health issues and increase safety at schools, while detractors pointed to constitutional issues and accreditation issues. They also said they didn't want to see schools replacing mental health professionals with religious leaders, especially those whose views might not be inclusive of LGBTQ+ students. As the bill stands, chaplains could 'perform the duties required of a school counselor,' though Manzella vowed to strike the line if the bill makes it to the House while explaining the legislation on the Senate floor. 'It's not intended to be a school chaplain or a counselor,' Manzella said Thursday on the Senate floor. 'It's a school chaplain if a school chooses to utilize them, and they can utilize them paid or volunteer.' The only requirements for a school chaplain in the bill, as it stands, would be the person be 18 years of age and be of 'good moral character.' There's also a requirement that the chaplain be certified by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in some way. Manzella also said she'd strike a second line, that states, 'A school chaplain employed under this section is required to be certified by the superintendent of public instruction.' Manzella said that 'the certification process is extensive,' and a change to that part of the bill would need to be made. However, Manzella pointed to one organization that has been helping place chaplains in schools and already has an accreditation program. She lauded the National School Chaplain Association during the bill's hearing, saying, 'We're looking for solutions, and I had heard about this amazing program sometime back.' The organization is already in 30,000 schools, she said. The NSCA is based in Norman, Oklahoma, according to its website. School chaplain bills are being pushed across the country by the NSCA. The Texas Tribune reported in 2023 the organization was a major proponent of its state's school chaplain legislation. Last year, Politico reported on a Florida bill that is similar to Manzella's proposed legislation. It was also supported by NSCA. The NSCA already has an eight-week accreditation program for chaplains. It includes, 'Active Shooter Certification, Behavioral Threat Assessment Certification, and the Stop The Bleed Certification.' Johnny Davis, the chief development officer with the NSCA, spoke in lieu of founder and CEO Rocky Malloy during the bill's hearing. Davis said '100% of school shootings are known about beforehand,' and pointed to chaplains in schools as an answer, saying they make schools safer and can help 'prevent these issues.' He went on to say their chaplains are trained in non-religious environments. The program costs about $1,000 and includes a background check, a step spelled out in Manzella's bill. 'Chaplains are skilled and trained to work in secular environments, providing care for individuals from all walks of life, regardless of race, belief and culture, and this skill has made them invaluable in us,' Davis said. 'Institutions such as the military, hospitals, prisons, professional sports teams, universities and corporations and today, we feel that their unique skills are critically needed in our schools.' The accreditation program is run through Oral Roberts University, an evangelical Christian school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While it's unclear if those in the program have to abide by it, the Oral Roberts student honor code specifically prohibits relations between people of the same sex. The NSCA seeks to have a 'chaplain on every school campus,' according to its mission statement. While Davis said the organization is trained to work in secular environments, it's also clear on where it stands on marriage equality. 'We believe in marriage as an irreplaceable and core institution created by God; one biological man and one biological woman freely and publicly enter into the marital covenant through solemn vows,' the NSCA's statement of faith states, citing several verses from Genesis and one from the Gospel of Matthew. Religious leaders with differing views on sex, gender, and LGBTQ+ issues is a problem ACLU Montana highlighted. 'We are deeply concerned that substituting school chaplains for school counselors might deprive 2S-LGBTQIA+ students of an inclusive and welcoming school environment, depending on the religious beliefs of the chaplain,' Alex Rate, Legal Director for ACLU Montana said in an email. 'School counselors are specially trained to provide services and support to all students, regardless of their identities. Chaplains are, by definition, guided by their faith.' Definitions of sex, as well as bathroom bills and even an attempt by the Legislature to tell the U.S. Supreme Court they were wrong to legalize same-sex marriage have all been heard this session. While supporters of the bill pointed to crisis intervention, opponents said there were issues with accreditation. Both the Montana Federation of Public Employees and the state's Board of Education testified against the bill, as did the ACLU. 'There's nothing in this bill that remotely aligns to the requirements in our rules,' McCall Flynn, the executive director of the Montana Board of Public Education, said in the bill's hearing. Rob Watson, representing School Administrators of Montana and speaking against the bill, pointed out the only requirement for a school chaplain as the bill was written was to be 18 years old and 'in good moral standing.' Others pointed to the issue of adding religion to schools. Montana has a high youth suicide rate and some wondered if adding in God was really the right answer. 'A child is struggling with suicidal thoughts, abuse or trauma, they don't need religious guidance,' said Lindsay DeGroote, who is a Montana licensed school and clinical counselor. 'They need evidence-based professional care in schools.' All but one Senate Republican voted for the bill on the second reading, while all but one of 18 Democrats voted against it. Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester voted against it, while Sen. Dave Fern, D-Whitefish voted for it. Tempel also voted against the bill in committee. The Senate passed the bill without amendments, although some Senators were lukewarm on the issue. 'I think the value that they could bring to the table is worth exploring, but there are a million questions that we would need to look at,' said Sen. Sara Novak, D-Anaconda, who voted no on the bill in committee and on the floor.
