KATHLEEN SHANNON Big Sky Connection Archives

Democracy Montana governor signs law tightening voter registration window By KATHLEEN SHANNON Big Sky Connection – 5/14/25

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte has seen the last few bills of the 2025 legislative session cross his desk and as the ink dries, policy experts reminded Montanans some bills will face the courts before ...

Energy Feds unveil ’emergency permitting’ for energy projects in Montana, U.S. By KATHLEEN SHANNON Big Sky Connection – 4/25/25

This week, the Trump administration announced what it terms “emergency permitting” for energy projects, streamlining a sometimes yearslong process down to 28 days. Opponents said it will ...

Economy Federal funding cuts could hit Montana harder than other states, says report By KATHLEEN SHANNON Big Sky Connection – 4/22/25

A new report showed Montana receives a larger share of federal funding than the national average and the effects of continued cuts could be “dramatic.” For every dollar Montana ...

Labor Montana union workers celebrate failure of anti-union bill By KATHLEEN SHANNON Big Sky Connection – 3/04/25

Union workers across Montana are celebrating the death of a bill which would have given employees the right to choose whether to join a union when hired by a represented company. Known as the ...

Economy Poll: 2 of 3 Republicans oppose funding cuts to federal land management By KATHLEEN SHANNON Big Sky Connection – 2/25/25

In its 15th annual year of polling on Conservation in the West, the State of the Rockies Project this year has found support for conservation by some of the highest margins to date and notably ...

Environment Federal bill, Interior could weaken national monument protections By KATHLEEN SHANNON Big Sky Connection – 2/20/25

Over the last 120 years, U.S. presidents have used the Antiquities Act almost 300 times to recognize national monuments, protecting portions of federal lands that are of particular historic or ...

LGBTQ ‘A dangerous proposition’: Montana lawmakers could decide on three gender bills By KATHLEEN SHANNON Big Sky Connection – 2/03/25

Montana lawmakers are considering three bills on gender. They are all versions of previous bills, which either failed or were struck down in court, but some new drafts have higher stakes. Two bills ...

Democracy Montana court upholds citizens’ ‘right to know’ about legislative bills, for now By KATHLEEN SHANNON Big Sky Connection – 1/23/25

A Montana District Court this week issued a preliminary injunction maintaining the public’s right to know about legislative bills but the case will need to be revisited for a final decision. ...

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