2025 Montana Legislature and Politics

• DOT Memo Directs Transportation Funding to Communities With Higher Marriage and Birth Rates, Compliance with Immigration Officials and No Mask Mandates

  The memo ties immigration enforcement to federal funding and prohibits mask or vaccine mandates.

• Controversial ‘school choice’ tax credit proposal under consideration in Montana

  Supporters tout help for students of private schools, opponents allege siphoning of public funds

• Trump just wasted over 2.2 billion gallons of California reservoir water for a headline. 

  Peter Gleick, a senior fellow at the Pacific Institute, called the releases “a needlessly self-destructive action purely for political showmanship,” per the outlet.

• Elon Musk Ally Tells Staff ‘AI-First’ Is the Future of Key Government Agency

  Sources say the former Tesla engineer now in charge of the Technology Transformation Services wants an agency that operates like a “startup software company.”

• The Montana Free Press digital guide to help you track the Montana Legislature is back

  The 2025 Montana Capitol Tracker includes live information on the bills, votes and lawmakers.

• Data privacy, artificial intel challenge Montana legislature

  “Before we get there, how about we set some lines in the sand and say ‘You own your ideas, you own your thoughts,’” Zolnikov said. “This puts the consumer in charge of the conversation.”

Montana’s Headwaters Tech Hub

• The Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance January 2025 Newsletter

  Welcome to the MPQA newsletter! It has been an eventful time for Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance. From events to awards, welcoming new members to planning for upcoming initiatives, our community has been buzzing with activity. Read on to discover the highlights and learn about the exciting developments shaping our field.

• Jockeying intensifies for state quantum (photonics) leadership – The Montana Headwaters Tech Hub

  The New Mexico center will focus on photonics technologies — the science of light — which helps advance ion quantum computing technologies that use light to control qubits, the basic unit of information quantum computing is built upon.

Come Home Montana

• 10 New Montana Nonprofit Career Opportunities

  Executive Director Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art Executive Director Writing Coaches of Montana Chief Operating Officer American Prairie Foundation   More…

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Are passenger trains entering a golden age or reaching the end of the line?

  Amid shifting political winds in Washington, D.C., and aging equipment across the country, passenger rail in Montana faces an uncertain future.

• How Local Governments Can Improve Economic Mobility for Residents in Their Communities

  The Urban Institute and the Gates Foundation are working together to support local leaders in improving economic mobility through the Upward Mobility Framework. This framework provides definitions, metrics, and tools to help local leaders understand economic challenges in their communities and how they can effectively address them.

Missoula Chamber of Commerce

• Survey: Missoula residents happy with parks, but not the local economy

  “While it’s not the sole factor in budget decisions, it certainly helps guide our approach,” Mayor Davis said. “As we approach the budget seasons, this will be an opportunity for us to dig a little deeper into the sentiments of our constituents.”

TOMIS

• TOMIS Has Got Exciting News

  2024 was a year of record growth at TOMIS—bigger wins, smarter strategies, and next-level client success. Dive into our recap for key insights, digital marketing trends, and the latest TOMIS innovations. You won’t want to miss it!

Great Falls Development Alliance

• GFDA Quarter Index 2024Q4

  Our Mission – Grow diverse economic opportunities that enhance quality of life.

Montana Business

• A new type of bird flu has been found in dairy cows in Nevada

  Scientists have speculated this variant could be intrinsically more deadly for humans, although it’s possible other factors like the route of exposure could be a factor, too.

• PeerSpectives Emerging Entrepreneur Roundtable – Deadline to Apply: Monday, February 17th at 5 p.m.

  Dedicate time in 2025 to grow your organizational leadership skills and improve your organization! The PeerSpectives® Emerging Entrepreneur Roundtable puts you in the room with other emerging business leaders in Northwest Montana from noncompeting industries to tap their collective wisdom.

• This Automaker Is Attacking Sustainable Transportation Even More Than You Think

  The world’s largest automaker has been ramping up spending to put climate change deniers in Congress, and crushing support for all kinds of sustainable modes in the process. As EVs have gradually won market share and government support leaders at the company decided that rather than adapting to beat out its EV competitors, it would ramp up its political lobbying efforts instead, distorting the market and keep Americans chained to the gas pump.

Montana Businesses Seeking Investment or For Sale

• How to prepare your business for a successful sale

  Mergers and acquisitions are expected to surge under President Donald Trump due to pro-business policies, reduced regulations and lower taxes. Business owners considering selling should prepare by ensuring their intellectual property is well-protected, as unprotected IP can deter buyers and collapse deals, writes William Honaker a partner with Dickinson Wright.

Opportunity Zones

• A New Role for Opportunity Zones: Rebuilding After Disasters

  A combined federal and state effort to redesign the boondoggle-prone economic development program could also provide the blueprint for rebuilding devastated communities.

Funding and Building your Business

• Cyberside Chats with Lake Missoula Group: Live! Hot Topics, Expert Cybersecurity Insights 2/26 – Online

  Join us for an exciting live event where we dive into today’s hottest cybersecurity topics and share expert insights to help you stay ahead of emerging threats.

Idaho News & Events

• Idaho National Laboratory accepting community grant applications

  Community grants will be awarded to selected nonprofit programs that align with INL’s mission while benefiting our local and regional communities.

Come Home Wyoming

• Senate Passes 50% Property Tax Cut, Would Be Largest In Wyoming History

  The Wyoming Senate passed a property tax bill Tuesday that at a 50% cut would be the largest in state history. Opponents say not providing money to replace that revenue will devastate communities, while supporters say it’s a true tax cut.

• TerraPower Nuclear Training Center In Kemmerer, Wyoming Will Be One-Of-A-Kind In The World

  The 35,000-square-foot nuclear training center TerraPower is building in Kemmerer, Wyoming, will be the only one of its kind in the world. Plans are for it to train all the company’s nuclear techs wherever in the world their Natrium reactors are.

Wyoming Business

• Casper, Wyoming-Area Solar Farm Killed After Dozens Of Residents Speak Out Against It

  Natrona County commissioners on Tuesday voted 3-2 against a 2,000-acre solar farm proposal on private ranch land 30 miles west of Casper. Dozens of area residents spoke out against it during a 7 1/2 hour meeting that ended around midnight.

• South Dakota opens bids in state-funded $7 million cybersecurity effort to protect local governments

  The administration of former Gov. Kristi Noem twice declined to apply for the state’s share of $1 billion in federal grant funding for local cybersecurity.

21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

• Helena forum addresses the relationship between kids and technology

  “Eight to eighteen-year-olds are averaging 7 and half hours of screen time a day outside of school time,” said Cherkin.

• How Philadelphia incentivizes residents to sharpen their digital skills

  Program participants at The ExCITe Center are required to complete a six-module training course to build their digital and technical knowledge. Upon completion, they are eligible to receive a free computer through the program.

Government News & Events

• Clean Transportation Funding Application Deadline Extended!

  The Clean Truck, Bus & Airport Equipment Program matches funds to replace older diesel trucks, buses or airport ground support vehicles with battery electric, alternative fuel or newer diesel vehicles. Examples of vehicles eligible to receive funding through this opportunity include garbage trucks, street sweepers, bucket trucks, buses or vehicles that service aircraft between flights.

Hellgate Venture Network

• Hellgate Venture Network with Ross Peterson of Little Dumps – 2/20 – Missoula

  Ross Peterson has over 25 years of experience specializing in creating websites and web-based solutions for local and nationwide clients. In 2017 he teamed up with landscape pro Doug Shryock to create a new local business called Little Dumps. The duo shared the goal of making it easy for customers to buy landscape materials online.  Along the way, they realized that the tools being built for Little Dumps would be valuable to a nationwide audience running similar businesses.  In 2021, they took what they’d learned, grew their team and launched BulkDelivery PRO, an e-commerce and fulfillment platform that now powers bulk material suppliers in 35 states and 2 provinces across North America.

Careers

• Make a plan to find your passions after retirement

  Finding purpose after retirement starts with making a plan to pursue your passions, writes John Baldoni, a leadership speaker and executive coach who is now semi-retired. “The challenge for anyone in my stage, or any stage of life, is to move ahead with purpose, and that often means redefining it,” Baldoni writes.

Transportation

• What the US Intercity Rail System Could Look Like – If the government funded these Amtrak routes, 39 million more people would have rail access

  An FRA study shows how new Amtrak lines could connect tens of millions more Americans to rail travel.

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