Montana architects, accountants worry that Governor Gianforte’s ‘red tape reduction’ initiative goes too far

At least two longstanding professional groups, architects and accountants, have sounded the concern about proposed rule changes they say put the profession and possibly the public at risk.

These changes, now proposed in rules, have both groups concerned that they’ll be harmed, not helped. Repeated requests to the Gianforte administration about this story went unanswered. And multiple requests to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry were also unanswered.

Unlike accountants, Talbert said he and other have tried to sound the alarm about licensure, but the Gianforte administration seems unwilling to make the change.

“They just say to submit comments in writing. They’ll never talk about them,” Talbert said. “You might as well be talking to a wall.”

Darrell Ehrlick