Sen. Jeff Mangan, Chair of the Senate Local Government Committee announces that committee will use videoconferencing to conduct 6 public hearings in Montana

Sen. Jeff Mangan, Chair of the Senate Local Government Committee, announced that
his committee will use videoconferencing to conduct hearings on six bills in
late March.

"This is an opportunity for the Montana Legislature to test drive
this technology in conducting its business," Mangan said. "Videoconferencing
allows the committee to convene in the State Capitol while connecting with
Montana citizens at several videoconferencing sites.

Members of the public will
be able to see, hear, and interact with the committee without the need to leave
their communities to travel to Helena," Mangan added.

Hearings on the following bills will be conducted through videoconferencing:

**********

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

6:30 p.m.

Room 472, State Capitol

HB 359 Revise pesticide notification laws (Sponsor: Rep. Gail Gutsche, Missoula)

HB 73 County voted levy for substance abuse programs (Sponsor: Rep.
Rosie Buzzas, Missoula)

Videoconferencing sites:

Missoula: Blackfoot Telephone, 1221 N. Russell, ITV Room

Great Falls: Great Falls College of Technology, 2100 16th Avenue South, Room
B-133

Miles City: Miles City Health Care Clinic, 620 S. Haynes, Conference Room.

Cut Bank: Cut Bank High School, 300 1st Street NE, ITV Room

Butte: St. James Healthcare, 400 South Clark Street, First Floor,
Videoconference Room

*************

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

6:30 p.m

Room 472, State Capitol

HB 591 Clarify applicability of local zoning regulations to sand and gravel
operations (Sponsor: Rep. Mike Jopek, Whitefish)

HB 450 Revise state land management (Sponsor: Rep. Mike Jopek, Whitefish)

Videoconferencing sites:

Missoula: University of Montana, Gallagher Building, Corner of Arthur and
Eddy, Room 104

Bozeman: Montana State University, Burns Telecommunications Center, EPS
Building, So. 7th and Grant, Room 126

Kalispell: Flathead Valley Community College, Learning Resource Center, 777
Grandview Drive, Room 120

Glasgow: Glasgow High School, No. 1 Scottie Drive, ITV Room

Billings: MSU – Billings, 214 N. Broadway, 1st Floor Conference Center

***********

Thursday, March 31, 2005

6:30 p.m.

Room 472, State Capitol

HB 666 Revise laws related to county water and sewer districts (Rep. Bob
Bergren, Havre)

HB 436 Developer option of donating land to school district (Rep. Dennis
Himmelberger, Billings)

HB 342 Revise laws on sewer districts (Rep. Dave Wanzenried, Missoula)

Videoconferencing sites:

Havre: MSU – Northern, 300 11th Street West, Hagener Science Center, Room 202

Billings: St. Vincent Healthcare, Mansfield Health Education Center, 1145
No. 30th Street

Butte: St. James Healthcare, 400 South Clark Street, First Floor,
Videoconference Room

Bozeman: Montana State University, Burns Telecommunications Center, EPS
Building, So. 7th and Grant, Room 126

Roundup:Roundup High School, 525 6th Avenue West

The hearings are open to the public.Interested persons are encouraged to
attend and participate.

Joining Sen. Mangan on the Senate Local Government Committee are Senators John
Esp (Big Timber),

Kelly Gebhardt (Roundup),

Kim Gillan (Billings),

Bob Hawks
(Bozeman),

Rick Laible (Victor),

Lynda Moss (Billings),

Jerry O’Neil (Columbia
Falls),

Jim Shockley (Victor),

Carolyn Squires (Missoula),

Mike Wheat
(Bozeman).

The use of videoconferencing to conduct committee hearings is part of a pilot
project called Bringing the Legislature to Montanans. This pilot project is a
private-public partnership involving the following entities that have donated
equipment, labor, facilities, and transmission services:

Montana Legislative Services Division

VisionNet http://website.montanavision.net/ and its parent companies

Information Technology Services Division, Department of Administration

Partners in Health Telemedicine Network, St. Vincent Health Care, Billings

Eastern Montana Telemedicine Network, Deaconess Billings Clinic, Billings.

Lois Menzies, Executive Director

Montana Legislative Services Division

Phone: (406) 444-3066

E-mail: [email protected]