Keith Schubert
![Montana district judge blocks legislative subpoena for SupCo justice emails](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2021/04/Supreme-Court-Montana.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Montana district judge blocks legislative subpoena for SupCo justice emails
A Helena District Court judge granted a preliminary injunction Monday on a subpoena seeking private and professional communications of Supreme Court Justice Jim Rice, saying that the Legislature overstepped its investigative and constitutional authorities.
![Montana tribes, nonprofits sue Secretary of State over new voting laws](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2017/11/elections.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Montana tribes, nonprofits sue Secretary of State over new voting laws
The bills being challenged are House Bill 176 and part of House Bill 530, which would respectively end late voter registration on Election Day and put restrictions on ballot collections, a popular tool for Get Out the Vote efforts. Both bills have been signed into law.
![Montana SupCo justice testifies in Legislature’s subpoena power case](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2021/05/Court.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Montana SupCo justice testifies in Legislature’s subpoena power case
Supreme Court Justice Jim Rice fielded questions for one and a half hours Monday about his efforts to quash a legislative subpoena seeking personal and professional communications relating to legislative efforts and polls conducted by the Montana Judges Association.
![Bison transplants, voting rights among losses cited by Native lawmakers this session](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2019/04/040419_Morigeau-1-of-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Bison transplants, voting rights among losses cited by Native lawmakers this session
Missoula Democrat Sen. Shane Morigeau said, “It’s always a challenge to explain to people in the Legislature that Native American Montanans are Montanans, and I always feel like we are starting at square one every session with the stereotyping.”
![Bill banning transgender women athletes reaches Montana governor’s desk](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2021/04/transgender-sports-bill.jpeg?w=980&q=75)
Bill banning transgender women athletes reaches Montana governor’s desk
The highly controversial bill, which has recently been vetoed by Republican governors in other states, would require transgender women to play on the K-16 sports team correlating with the gender on their birth certificate.
![Missoula senator’s surprise motion stops bill limiting transgender youth healthcare](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2021/04/transgender-montana-capitol.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Missoula senator’s surprise motion stops bill limiting transgender youth healthcare
Senate lawmakers voted Tuesday to indefinitely postpone legislation that would prohibit transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming surgical care, a victory for LGBTQ+ advocates.
![After killing wolf, Gianforte signs bills allowing strangulation, expanded hunting of wolves](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2019/06/wolf-Oregon-Dept-of-Fish-and-Wildlife.jpg?w=980&q=75)
After killing wolf, Gianforte signs bills allowing strangulation, expanded hunting of wolves
About two months after Gov. Greg Gianforte trapped and dispatched a collared black wolf that had roamed from Yellowstone National Park, he signed into law two bills allowing for expanded opportunities and means to hunt and trap wolves in Montana.
![Gianforte issued warning by FWP after trapping, killing wolf in February](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2020/04/Gray-wolf.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Gianforte issued warning by FWP after trapping, killing wolf in February
Gov. Greg Gianforte was issued a written warning after he trapped and killed a wolf on Feb. 15 without taking a state-mandated educational course. The governor trapped and killed a six-year-old black wolf known as “1155” on a private ranch owned by Robert E. Smith.
![Gianforte signs bill giving himself power to fill judicial vacancies across Montana](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2021/03/Gianforte.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Gianforte signs bill giving himself power to fill judicial vacancies across Montana
Gov. Greg Gianforte signed into a law Tuesday a bill that gives him mostly unfettered ability to fill supreme and district court vacancies across the entire state of Montana.
![Hundreds gather at Montana Capitol to oppose GOP’s transgender bills](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2021/03/ACLU-LGBTQ.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Hundreds gather at Montana Capitol to oppose GOP’s transgender bills
Many speakers laid into the Republican legislators carrying bills they say dangerously target LGBTQ and trans folks — communities that already face higher rates of suicide, assault and discrimination.