The Interim

Economic Affairs Interim Committee

Economic Affairs Interim Committee Wraps Up Workers’ Comp, Other Studies

Committee: Economic Affairs Interim Committee
Author: Pat Murdo
Posted on August 27, 2018

Deer on train in Glacier

The legislative interim committee that has been studying the future of Montana State Fund plus undertaking studies on unemployment in high-poverty areas and on emergency services, particularly related to veterans, will have its final meeting Sept. 6, starting at 9 a.m. in the State Capitol.

The Economic Affairs Interim Committee also will hear proposed legislation from the various state agencies that it monitors: the State Auditor’s Office, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Labor and Industry, the Department of Livestock, the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, and the Division of Banking and Financial Institutions.

In wrapping up its studies of Montana State Fund, the committee will review for possible introduction of committee bills the following drafts:

  • LCMSF1 – exempting Montana State Fund from certain state agency requirements;
  • LCMSF2 – allowing state government to choose its workers’ compensation insurer; and
  • LCMSF3 – revising selection of the Montana State Fund’s board of directors to allow policyholders to select three of the seven directors.

Public comment is welcome. Anyone wanting to submit written comments on any of the bill drafts or studies may send comments by email to pmurdo@mt.gov or in writing to the address below by the close of business on Sept. 4 or may comment in person at the committee meeting, which will be in Room 102. The meeting also will be livestreamed from the legislative website and will be available on TVMT.

The committee will finish its studies of unemployment in high-poverty areas and of emergency services, particularly related to veterans. Those studies are available for viewing on the committee website. The committee has voted to introduce as a committee bill related to the unemployment study, LCbsd1, which would align the definition of poverty for Big Sky Economic Development grants with that used by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The other two committee bills on which public comment will be taken includes LCDOR1, which would revise Senate Bill 5 from the special session related to quota areas for sales of liquor, beer, and wine, and LCRSCC, which would remove the statutory reference to the Rail Service Competition Council.

To submit comments by mail, send them to the Economic Affairs Interim Committee, ATTN: Pat Murdo, P.O. Box 201706, Helena MT 59620-1706 or to pmurdo@mt.gov.

Committee Website: http://leg.mt.gov/eaic   
Committee Staff: Pat Murdo, pmurdo@mt.gov, or 406-444-3594
TVMT Website: https://leg.mt.gov/css/Video-and-Audio/tvmt.html

 

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