Testimony in Support of SB218

Testimony on SB 146 – Request for Clarifications & Revisions Deanna Campbell Bozeman, Montana Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, I appreciate the opportunity to testify on SB 146, a bill that takes an important step toward protecting private property rights by limiting excessive government control over land use and zoning decisions. By requiring that zoning restrictions be based on a "compelling governmental interest" in public health or safety, this bill seeks to rein in unnecessary land-use regulations that infringe on individual property rights. However, as currently drafted, SB 146 does not fully protect homeowners from forced urban infill, speculative legal challenges, and city-driven upzoning mandates. While limiting government overreach is essential, the bill must also ensure that single-family zoning protections, private property covenants, and neighborhood stability are not eroded by unintended legal consequences. The Bozeman Example: Why SB 146 Needs Stronger Protections In Bozeman, we have seen firsthand how local government, influenced by ICLEI-style planning mandates, is eroding single-family zoning in favor of forced high-density development. Under the Unified Development Code (UDC) and "affordable housing" initiatives, the city has: Upzoned single-family neighborhoods to allow multi-family housing, without homeowner consent. Encouraged speculative developers to buy out older homes and replace them with high-density rental units, fundamentally altering neighborhoods. Raised impact fees and infrastructure costs for single-family homeowners while subsidizing highdensity projects. Reduced local control over zoning by prioritizing state and regional "sustainability" goals over property owner rights. If SB 146 is to be effective, it must include clear protections against these types of forced zoning changes and speculative redevelopment pressures. Recommended Clarifications and Revisions to SB 146 1. Protect Existing Zoning Contracts & Homeowner Reliance Interests Many homeowners purchased property with the expectation that zoning laws would remain stable, preserving the character of their neighborhoods. Zoning serves as a contract-like agreement between property owners and local governments— one that people rely on when making long-term investments. Recommendation: Add language affirming that SB 146 does not weaken or invalidate longstanding zoning protections that homeowners rely upon as a "property interest." 2. Prevent Speculative "Legalized Block Busting" The bill currently allows broad legal challenges to zoning and property use restrictions, but the term "compelling governmental interest in public health or safety" is too vague. Concern: Developers and investors could exploit this vagueness to file lawsuits that erode single family zoning, leading to forced urban infill and destabilized neighborhoods. Bozeman Example: In Bozeman, we have seen developers rapidly replace single-family homes with multi-story townhomes, often against the wishes of longtime residents. This bill must not be used to accelerate such changes. Recommendation: Refine the "compelling interest" standard to explicitly exclude density mandates, forced urban infill, or high-density upzoning as valid justifications for overriding single-family zoning. 3. Clarify That Private Covenants Are Not Affected Many developments use private covenants to regulate land use. If government agencies reference or require certain covenants in the approval process, could those covenants be challenged under SB 146? Recommendation: Add language explicitly stating that private covenants are not subject to SB 146 unless they are directly imposed by government entities. 4. Restrict Judicial Overreach in Land Use Challenges Concern: As written, SB 146 gives courts broad discretion to overturn zoning laws without clear guidelines. This could allow developers to use the courts to override zoning protections in ways that were never intended. Recommendation: Establish specific legal guardrails for judicial review, ensuring that existing zoning can only be overturned when it demonstrably violates constitutional property rights—not simply when it limits speculative development. 5. Prevent SB 146 from Being Used as a Backdoor for Forced Density Policies While the bill is intended to limit government overreach, poorly worded legal provisions could be exploited to accelerate forced densification rather than prevent it. Some cities may reinterpret "compelling governmental interest" to justify forced upzoning, claiming that "climate sustainability" or "affordable housing" qualifies as a health justification. Bozeman Example: City planners frequently justify density increases using sustainability arguments, arguing that compact urban housing is a "public benefit." SB 146 must make it clear that economic and climate-related goals do not meet the "compelling interest" standard. Recommendation: Explicitly state that urban containment policies, forced densification, and elimination of single-family zoning do not meet the "compelling governmental interest" standard under SB 146. Conclusion: Strengthen SB 146 to Truly Protect Property Rights SB 146 is an important and necessary bill that can rein in government overreach and protect private property rights. However, as currently written, it fails to fully address the very threats that homeowners face from speculative redevelopment, forced urban infill, and top-down planning mandates. To ensure that SB 146 upholds its intended purpose, I strongly urge the committee to: Protect single-family zoning from speculative legal challenges Prevent courts from being used to accelerate density mandates Safeguard private covenants from unintended legal consequences Ensure judicial review does not favor developers over homeowners With these revisions, SB 146 can become a strong, balanced law that truly defends property rights for all Montanans. I encourage further discussion and amendment of the bill to ensure that it fulfills its intended purpose without unintended consequences. Thank you for your time and consideration. Respectfully,  Deanna Campbell

All of us have at least one thing in common: we all began life as infants in a womb. Despite our common beginnings, a widespread disregard for vulnerable human lives at this early developmental stage is wreaking havoc here in Montana, where I grew up and have practiced as an Ob/Gyn for more than 20 years. A far-reaching amendment on the ballot in November, CI-128, would allow unlimited induced abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. CI-128's utter disregard for innocent human beings is nothing short of devastating. As a physician whose entire mission involves saving lives, it’s difficult to justify delivering a newborn at 24 weeks in one room only to terminate another child of the same gestational age or older under the guise of “healthcare” in the room next door. But that’s exactly what CI-128 would permit. The truth is, the little person kicking and moving around in the ultrasound image is not a blob of cells, but a human being. With this scientific reality in mind, I often note on early pregnancy ultrasounds how amazing it is that we all start out just like this. CI-128's full text, which voters will be denied the opportunity to read at the ballot box, is riddled with vague language and deceptive terminology that would harm, not help, women and their babies. For example, it uses the terms “healthcare professional” or “provider” to refer to those performing induced abortions. Such a broad categorical term could give anyone license to perform them, regardless of experience or specialty, including non physicians. In fact, the language would eliminate all existing laws governing safe medical practice. This should be frightening, not freeing, to women in need of genuine medical attention. Unfortunately, there appears to be no limit to how far pro-abortion activists will go to advance their deadly abortion-on-demand platform even though Montana laws already permit induced abortion up until 20 weeks' gestation, five weeks beyond the point at which nearly 75 percent of people do not support elective abortion. National pro-abortion interest groups have funneled millions of dollars into our state for the express purpose of turning out votes in favor of CI-128, that would subtly establish a permissive “right” to induced abortion during all nine months for generations to come. Young women in their teenage years would be put at great personal risk should Montanans adopt CI-128. The amendment would eliminate Montana’s parental notification and the consent laws that protect minors from those who wish them harm, including abusive partners who often pressure them to abort against their wills. Under CI-128, these girls would be isolated at a time in life when they are in the most need of parental guidance and support. Most people don’t realize that Ob/Gyn physicians already have the professional training and the legal authority necessary to deliver holistic care to mothers and their children before and after birth without relying on abortion. No constitutional amendment is required for us to deliver that care. You may have heard concerns that we need CI-128 to treat life-threatening conditions related to pregnancy, such as miscarriages (the baby has already died) and ectopic pregnancies (the pregnancy is outside the uterus, which can be life threatening to the mother). This is an invalid concern. We already take care of these women without hesitation, and always have. Don’t let the drama of CI-128's backers mislead Montanans into thinking that abortion is a ticket to a woman’s freedom, health, and peace of mind. Nothing is further from the truth. Montana voters should demand better for women and children in our state. We must focus our efforts on supporting expecting mothers and welcoming unborn children into loving families in our communities so they can go on to experience fulfilling lives from kindergarten to old age. This fall is your opportunity to cast a decisive vote for protecting women and their children and against this radical amendment.

Americans in the Arena - Please Help If You Can Catherine Engelbrecht Hi Friend - I’m writing to you today with both an update and a request. First, the Update Over these last few months, True the Vote has been firing on all cylinders: IV3 - Assisted volunteers in 1623 counties across the country to submit ineligible voter records to their county elections office. This effort, called IV3 ( IV3.us ) was an enormous success, resulting in over 1,000,000 records being evaluated. Our next step is to monitor these ineligible records to determine whether they request an absentee ballot or cast an early vote. This information will be useful in a variety of ways, not the least of which is litigation support. Lawfare - Submitted our response to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in the Fair Fight vs. True the Vote lawsuit. (We won in Georgia federal court, then Fair Fight appealed to the 11th circuit and we necessarily filed a response brief.)The lawsuit concerned voters’ rights to petition government over ineligible voter registration records - and our win in federal court was an awesome victory, in Georgia and across the country. This is just one of several cases we are involved in. Scan. Check. Protect. - So far, we’ve assisted over 30,000 Americans with Scan. Check. Protect. , our online program for voter registration, voter record review, record cancellation, and mail-in ballot tracking. “We Will Not Be Silenced” - We debuted this documentary on Open.ink . It is a compilation of harrowing testimonials from Democrats who experienced how Barack Obama appeared to have stolen the 2008 primary from the Hillary Clinton. This is a must-watch piece of history, informing us about what kind of behavior we can expect in the general election, as the Obama team is again calling the shots, this time for Kamala. VoteAlert - VoteAlert.org is a web app to support voters and election workers in incident reporting, whether online or through our 24×7 live call center. Pray the Vote - Together with our longtime partner Intercessors for America we’re supporting a joint initiative to Pray the Vote, identifying voters who haven’t participated in a while and praying for them, for election workers, and for an honorable election season. Voto Honesto - Launched a Spanish radio show with Voto Honesto spokesperson Violet Sarria - reaching citizens and noncitizens alike with clarifying commentary on voter engagement, including who is and is not allowed to vote. On the Road Again - Traveled all over the country, speaking, training, supporting - and setting up camp in Wisconsin, as we make plans to address the coming installment of nearly 600 dropboxes across this key battleground state. (I’m not going to publish all we are doing, as it will undoubtedly be used against us, but we are doing … a lot). Open Mics - 3x a week webinars and podcasts to support volunteers, answer questions, and keeping working smart. Activist Support - Consistently message to volunteers with efforts led by Meg Denning, to assist, train, engage, and make an impact. You can find one of Meg’s newsletters here (if you aren’t already getting them, you can sign up here. ) Fake News - Continued to absorb the body blows from legacy media. From CNN’s stalking of TTV volunteers, to Democracy Docket ’s completely unhinged article on our work with Sheriffs, and countless hundreds of similar slams intended to discredit and discourage us all. The fallout from fake news spurs coordinated attacks on our websites, and flooded inboxes and voice messages full of the most hateful things you can imagine, including very specific death threats. (But, newsflash, it’s not working, we are more determined than ever.) This is all since about May. (And there’s lots more on our website TrueTheVote.org ). Our volunteer base is steadily growing, as is our social media following. And we are making an impact. As more and more evidence of corruption has been exposed, public sentiment has changed. The majority of Americans (62% according to a recent Rasmussen poll) now believe that we do have a problem with election fraud. Past naysayers have gone from calling us “election deniers”, to being willing to help support local elections in an effort to avoid reliving the 2020 boondoggle. The situation is far from perfect - but we are on the right road and must keep moving forward. Now, the Request Will you please consider making a donation to support our work? I wish we had a war chest that would allow us to work without the need to ask, but that’s not the position we are in. The opposition wants to ensure that we are defunded — in fact, they have been fairly successful at draining our coffers through the many frivolous lawsuits they’ve kept us in. The truth of the matter is this — we are in the center of the arena. Leading the charge. Fighting every day, in ways seen and unseen, to advance the call for voters’ rights and honest elections. In these next few months, we’re going to give it all we’ve got. No rest, no regrets. We have big things planned. Please help us if you can. I know you are being asked for money every day, all the time. I receive the same emails and texts, I know it’s overwhelming. All I can tell you is, we will remain in the arena come what may. We need your help. We are giving to a point of sacrifice. We humbly ask that you join us in the arena today with a donation that would help us not just to stay afloat, but to make a permanent difference for our country — for all of us, for our families, and the next generation.

Nobody Talks About Freedom Anymore

R esolution on Platform Principles WHEREAS, Republican solidarity in opposition to the Democrat socialist agenda is necessary to preserve the security of our country, our economic and political freedoms, and our way of life; and WHEREAS, Republican faithfulness to its conservative principles and public policies as dictated by members of the GOP during convention and found in the Montana State Platform is necessary to maintain and restore the trust of the electorate in the Republican Party and a proven path that will lead to Republican electoral victories; and WHEREAS, we understand the broad written form of the whole of the Montana GOP Platform provides a great narrative tool for discussing our beliefs, it is a mechanism to detail policy to support in legislation; and WHEREAS, the MTGOP has a responsibility to develop a simple set of Principles based upon the MTGOP Platform that could then be applied to all proposed legislation; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the MTGOP identifies the following ten (10) policy positions to be detailed in the Montana Republican Platform in a “Principles” section that shall be placed immediately after the Preamble and thus before the main body of planks; Tax Policy: Taxes should be low, broad based, and easily understood. Role of Government: We believe our constitutional system- Limited govt, separation of powers, federalism and the rights of the people- must be preserved uncompromised for future generations. Scope of Government: We believe political and economic freedom are indivisible. Sanctity of life: Support “all life is sacred” policies from conception to natural end of life with the exception of the death penalty. There will be no tax payer funding for abortions or suicides, parental notification and permission in all cases dealing with legal minors, and require taxpayer supported medical services programs to provide ultrasounds and all available choices for individuals dealing with crisis pregnancies. Private Property: Private Property is the foundation of prosperity and freedom. Education: Adopt school choice policies driven by parental control, reduce centralized control mechanisms embracing local control, embrace transparency in local district budgets and curriculum, and preserve the autonomy of private and home school institutions. Social Programs: Adopt policies of “hand up” not “hand out” in all social programs, adopt accountability and eligibility standards that only help the truly needy, and implement measures that define the primary role of all social services to one of reducing dependency. Natural Resources: Montana is The Treasure State and we support natural resource policy that promote jobs, and improves the quality of life and standard of living for all Montanans. State Rights: Support the 10th Amendment, reject all federal programs that do not include funding for the life of the mandate, believe that all Federal Law implemented in Montana must be based on Article 1, AND that every Montana elected official work to confine Federal power to its Constitutional limits. Judicial: We believe in the rule of law and a separation of powers. The judicial branch is a separate branch of government and it should not be a super legislature. The Republican Party of Montana recognizes that this Platform and these 10 principles are the only source for the values, definitions, and expectations the members of this association recognize when evaluating a candidate for public office within the Primary Election, as the Republican members alone have determined these by Convention. The Republican Party of Montana also recognizes the primary goal of this Platform and principles is the expectation that our elected officials will use it as a directing guide when making decisions. We also expect a report be issued by the State Republican Party on the voting results for those standards of each Legislator to all members of the Republican Party. Resolution To Officially Oppose Ranked Choice Voting In Montana WHEREAS, The Montana Republican Party, the party of equality, the party of opportunity for all, party of favoritism for none and to encourage and allow the broadest possible participation of all voters in Montana. WHEREAS, Montana has operated on a well-understood and relatively uniform election system that has been implemented over one hundred years to support our constitutional republic. WHEREAS, Montana primary and general elections ensure that voters who support one candidate, not a plurality of candidates, are heard clearly while ranked choice voting schemes open elections to ‘ballot exhaustion’ on the disenfranchisement of voters who choose not to support multiple candidates who do not clearly represent their values; WHEREAS, States and communities where ranked choice voting has been tested have consistently decreased voter participation in those communities and in many cases the elections have resulted in more discarded votes than counted votes; WHEREAS, Ranked choice voting often results in additional tabulation delays resulting in days or weeks of additional counting while depending exclusively on technology without traceable ballots to support determined winners; and WHEREAS, Supporters of ranked choice voting seek to eliminate or disempower party primaries; therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Republican Party of Montana rejects ranked choice voting and similar schemes that increase election distrust, and voter suppression and disenfranchisement, eliminate the historic political party system, and put elections in the hands of expensive election schemes that cost taxpayers and depend exclusively on confusing technology and unelected bureaucrats to manage it; and RESOLVED, Montana calls on the Congress, Montana State Legislature, and voters to oppose ranked choice voting and similar schemes at every level of government.

Since Biden took office, more than 7 million migrants have entered our country illegally through our southern border (a number greater than the population of 36 individual states). They had 290,178 associated charges and convictions (an average of four per individual). These included 33,209 assaults, 4,390 sexual assaults, 7,520 weapons offenses, 1,713 charges or convictions for homicide, and 1,655 kidnapping offenses. The southern border crisis is also costing American taxpayers around $451 billion per year for services provided. Next, Biden canceled the Keystone pipeline. Gasoline prices rose from $2.25 per gallon up to $5 per gallon by mid-2022. With the OPEC+ decision to reduce supply further, gasoline prices are now headed toward $4.50 per gallon. Next, Biden decided to shrink our emergency SPR (to the lowest in 40 years). In response to my letter to Senator Tester on this, Tester replied: “I pushed the Administration to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve”. Biden’s $69B loan ‘forgiveness’ package continues to grow, even after the Supreme Court ruled against it. In 2021 our interest rates were 2.6%, in 2024 the interest rate is 3.8%. Inflation was 1.4% when Biden took office, and now it is 3%. And food prices have surged more than 21% since the start of 2021. And of course, we all remember the horrible withdrawal from Afghanistan. Every step of the way, Montana’s Senator Jon Tester has supported Biden’s failed polices and decisions (94%). It is time for a change. Decorated veteran and job creating entrepreneur Tim Sheehy represents that change for Montana in DC. Steve White Former Gallatin County Commissioner

Fellow Republican Representatives, As we all know, the Montana courts have consistently taken it upon themselves to do our job as legislators. Once Democrats lost their Governor veto pen backstop, their last resort has been to run to judges to stop sound conservative ideas, and even some important bipartisan reforms, from becoming law. Ideas that the people of Montana voted to send to Helena. There have been many instances where judges have taken over our role as the Legislative Branch to implement their own preferred politics and policies, rather than simply adhere to the constitutional rule of law. This happened during the preparation of the current petition for CI-128 when the MT supreme court ruled the Legislature should be bypassed and signature gathering allowed to begin without the usual process of a legislative interim committee conducting a vote and giving its opinion to better inform potential signers. Now, we are on the threshold of being unconstitutionally usurped again. On June 10th, Montanans for Reproductive Rights (Planned Parenthood and ACLU) and the out-of-state big money interests pushing the election initiatives sued SOS to get a ruling on who counts as a "qualified elector." Article III of the Montana Constitution requires that only signatures from "qualified electors" qualify for ballot initiatives. Montana Code Annotated 13-19-313(2) , passed by the Legislature, states that "the election administrator shall place the elector on the inactive list provided for in 13-2-220 until the elector becomes a qualified elector. In order to become a qualified voter, an elector shall follow the procedure in 13-2-222 or 13-2-304 , as applicable" (emphasis added). In other words, inactive voters are clearly, by law, not "qualified electors." This is the Secretary of State's position--that she is following the Constitution and the law as passed by the Legislature. Of note, the Oregon Supreme Court, a liberal court in a state with similar constitutional provisions to Montana, previously ruled on this issue, finding that inactive voters are not "qualified electors." You can see that decision here . Also of note, the language about how an inactive voter becomes a qualified elector, referenced earlier in this email, came from SB 498--sponsored by Democrat Sen. Shane Morigeau--in the 2023 session. Democrats contributed to that statutory language just a year ago; now their allies don't want to abide by it. There are policy differences among legislators, including among Republicans. However, when we have a constitutional idea that passes both chambers and is signed into law we must have the Judicial Branch, Executive Branch and all statewide offices follow the law. Failure to do so undermines the Legislative Branch as an institution and the rule of law. We as a Legislature are having our constitutional roles diminished by politically-motivated Montana judges. Please take time to post on social media, write an LTE, and talk to any and all groups to set straight the role of our three branches of government. A good start would be to inform your local central committee of the situation. Also, if you would like more information on the details of the history of these ballot initiatives and where we sit today please reach out to. Both the SOS and Graybill’s arguments are attached to this email. This court case is going to be intense and fast with signature verification deadlines rapidly approaching. The case potentially has multigenerational implications for our state--both when it comes to the Legislature's role as branch of government, and whether our Constitution will contain new, radically different provisions than it has for the past 50 years. We hope you all are enjoying the sunny MT summer. Matt Regier, Speaker Sue Vinton, Majority Leader Rhonda Knudsen, Pro Tem

An Open Letter to President Joseph Biden from Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn (U.S. Army, Ret.)

Dear Fellow Patriots,  We are at a time in our Country that we never dreamed we would see in our lifetimes and a time our Founding Fathers warned us about if we did not safeguard our Constitutional Republic. The ongoing Spiritual battle is real and unfortunately evil has been working hard for years to infiltrate our society and culture, eroding our values and principles as a nation. There is an ever growing cultural and governmental hostility toward Biblical and Patriotic values and Americans who hold them dear. We are at a pivotal point, one that must be met with resistance lest we succumb to globalist agendas and marxist ideologies. The attempted assassination of Trump is a wake-up call that we must answer with increased passion and dedication to save our Country. This starts locally, where we can truly work to make a difference. It is a call to step up, speak up, and volunteer. God calls us to be strong in the Lord...to put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. We must stand for truth, righteousness, readiness, peace, and faith. (Ephesians 6: 10-17). We should not allow the actions of evil-doers to provoke us, but rather to make us more resilient and determined to boldly fight for what we hold dear and know to be just, moral, and right. President Trump puts himself on the line each and every day. He has sacrificed his time and fortune. He has been willing to go to prison or even give his life for this Country and her people. Upon standing from being shot, he raised his arm and called for his fellow Patriots to Fight! He did not mean with physical aggression but with all legal recourse, patriotic duty, and political effort and will to take back our country. Please ask yourself what you can give of your time, skills, and resources to protect our Freedoms. Will you stand in faith, give your efforts to save America, and provide a future of hope for our children? There is much to accomplish this year. The few need many in order to win. Please get plugged in and help your local grassroots efforts. We need you now! In Liberty and Freedom, Blessings to All, Marla Davis