HB 228

HB 228 has passed the House of Representatives and will be heard in the Senate during the second half of the session, which will begin in early March.

Go to http://leg.mt.gov/css/bills/Default.asp and click on '2009 Regular Session', then type in HB 228 to see the vote totals. You'll see that HB 228 passed 2nd reading on Feb. 9th with a 58-42 vote and third reading the next day on a 60-40 vote.

The House members who voted against HB 228 are reporting that they desparately need the public at home (their constituents) to understand what's going on in Helena. They said they were getting five (5) emails of support for HB 228 for every one they received in opposition. They are getting beat up pretty badly over HB 228.

These Representatives are literally begging for help. They stood up to the most powerful lobby in Montana and they are paying dearly in the court of public opinion for supporting law enforcement.

Here's what they need:

  1. A letter to the Editor ---from the Sheriff, County Attorney or Chief of Police--- of your local paper thanking Rep. ______________ for voting against HB 228, and some comments on why it is such a bad bill for public safety.

  2. Similar comments on any morning radio shows you might be on.

  3. Any other kind of public education and information you can generate in your local communities. Do any of you belong to Rotary? Exchange CLub? Kiwanis? Can you talk to them?

  4. Show up at any town meeting your delegation may be having over the transmittal break (Feb 28-March 1) and speak up on HB 228.

Of all of the above suggestions, the letter to the editor is the most effective. Any paper will print a letter from the local Sheriff, Chief, or County Attorney.

On the Senate side.....

If HB 228 is going to be defeated by the Senate, Senators ---especially those on the Senate Judiciary Committee--- have to know where you are at on HB 228, where the rank and file law enforcement officers in their communities are on this bill, and where the general public is on this issue.

If you do not want to see HB 228 signed into law, Senators need to hear from you starting now! You can bet the MSSA has started writing to Senators and will continue to do so over the transmittal break and into the second half of this Session.

Absent emails, letters, and calls from their constituents, there is no amount of facts, information, reasoning or impassioned lobbying that will convince Senators to vote against HB 228.