The Montana Legislature's State-Tribal Relations Committee today opened a 30 day public comment period on several legislative proposals related to motor carrier services, federal recognition of the Little Shell, runaway youth, and missing persons. Please submit your comments by August 6 by emailing them to hstockwell@mt.gov and indicate in the subject line the PD number of the bill draft(s) on which you're commenting.

Links to each draft are provided below for your review.

• motor carrier services authority on reservations (PD0007TH)
• federal recognition of the Little Shell (PD0001)
• runaway youth:
  • PD0006                 authorizes minors to consent to no cost emergency shelter and services
  • PD0007HS            establishes graduation requirements for youth who've experienced homelessness, been in the child welfare system or the juvenile justice system, or experienced a medical or mental health crisis
  • PD00014               clarifying that minors' ability to disaffirm contracts for housing is restricted
• missing persons
  • PD0008                 establishing a missing persons review commission
  • PD0010                 establishing a missing persons response team training grant program
  • PD0011                 extending the Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force
  • PD0012                 extending the Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force and the Looping in Native Communities grant program

The STRC will review public comments received at its last scheduled meeting of the interim on August 24 before deciding whether to forward the proposals to the 2021 Legislature for consideration.

For more information, contact the committee's staff or visit its website:
Committee staff: Hope Stockwell, hstockwell@mt.gov, 406-444-9280
Committee website: http://leg.mt.gov/tribal