Jonathon Ambarian

From the end of August to the middle of September, the commission has scheduled six in-person public hearings to get feedback on these maps, in Pablo, Missoula, Bozeman, Great Falls, Crow Agency and Billings.

Majority Republicans have talked about a goal of “giving the surplus back” to the public, but not all lawmakers are on the same page about the best way to do that.

The decision would allow bison to graze seasonally in three locations and year-round in three others — including two that are already approved for bison. The seventh location would remain open only to cattle.

epublican nominees Ryan Zinke and Matt Rosendale have retained their fundraising leads in Montana’s two congressional races.

Montana requires school districts to have one counselor for every 400 elementary students and high school students. Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen has recommended removing that ratio.

Montana leaders say that with state tax revenues on the rise there could be a significant budget surplus when the next state legislative session begins in January. Now, lawmakers are already starting the debate on how that money should be used.

Local-option taxes have started slowly: Only four counties have implemented them so far, and only three of those — Yellowstone, Missoula and Park — had them in place early enough to receive payments for the first quarter of the year.

In Montana, the report recommended closing four VA locations: rural clinics in Browning, Glasgow and Plentywood, as well as the Miles City Community Living Center, a nursing home.

Matthew Monforton, one of the sponsors of Constitutional Initiative 121, confirmed Thursday that they would not reach the more than 60,000 signatures needed to qualify the measure for the general election ballot.

Gov. Greg Gianforte’s administration announced in a statement Thursday morning that Adam Meier, the director of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, will leave his role on August 12, citing an “ongoing family health issue.”