"What happens, if they’re lucky, they end up back at the state hospital," Bonny said. "And if they’re not, that means they're interacting with law enforcement or they're not making it at night in the cold elements because they’re not prepared." billingsgazette.com/news/state-and…

Scenes from the opening day of #mtleg.

The resolution asks the Legislature to find that the “Indian reservation system has clearly failed to positively enhance the lives and well-being of most of the Indians or the other citizens of the State of Montana.” The draft was requested by Sen. Keith Regier. #mtleg

Bill to end commitment of dementia and TBI patients to state hospital passes 90-9 after some discussion about whether community services will be ready or not by 2025. #mtleg

Several Montana and U.S. military officials told the Billings Gazette the balloon was traveling above 65,000 feet, which is too high for the jets to reach. billingsgazette.com/news/national/…

Johnson, a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism, covered the 1972 constitutional convention and was a walking history book of Montana politics. helenair.com/news/local/chu…

ICYMI: The Speaker of the House refused again to acknowledge a Rep. Zooey Zephyr trying to speak on a bill. More than 300 supporters of Zephyr rallied on the steps of the Capitol. Seven were arrested. Strong work by the team in Helena #mtpol #mtleg helenair.com/news/state-and…

Rep. Zephyr is set up on a bench just outside the House chamber this morning, voting remotely. She’s barred from entering the chamber or debating on bills. #mtleg #mtpol

To a casual eye, the lawmaking process can look only like a bunch of people talking into microphones. The 68th: A visual digest of the Montana Legislature- helenair.com/news/state-and… #mtnews #mtpol #mtleg

BREAKING: Mika WestWolf, a Native woman, was hit and killed while walking on Hwy 93. Officials are investigating Sunny White, who ascribes to White nationalist ideology and whose children are named "Aryan" and "Nation." missoulian.com/news/arlee-fam… w/ Zoë Buchli #MMIW #MMIWG2S

"Crow tribe have what they called the badé, Lakota have winkte, my Cheyenne tribe has hemaneh – which means born male but has the heart and soul of a woman." Really appreciate this Kathleen McLaughlin Q+A with Indigenous Transilience theguardian.com/books/2023/jun… #mtnews

New: Government emails suggest the LifeGuard Group, which Gov. Gianforte and AG Knudsen have partnered with on various initiatives, has deployed "inappropriate practices" when working with survivors at its residential safe house. #mtnews with Kianna Gardner missoulian.com/news/state-reg…

👀Don't miss this Missoulian investigation. Nonprofit that got $500K from MT's governor has opaque financials. A mother and daughter were told they'd be "cavity searched". And a taxpayer-funded spokesperson won't answer Q's on how the state defines a human trafficking "case":