Senator Malek Reflections

Hello Seeley-Swan! It’s been a cold, snowy winter in Helena but I think you all have us beat for winter weather!

I am very busy this session, sponsoring 10 bills as well as an amendment to sewer and water district voting rights, on behalf of Seeley Lake residents. I understand confusion about who could and could not vote caused problems in the December Seeley Lake sewer election. Please know I’m working on clarification.

Two of my bills have been approved in the Senate and will be heard in the House in March. Both bills address sexual intercourse without consent. I served on the Law and Justice Interim Committee in the 2015-2016 interim and am carrying the bills on behalf of the committee.

SB 22 provides victims of rape with a civil procedure to gain full custody of a child born as a result of rape. SB 26 provides for penalties for 18-year-old high school students who become involved with freshmen in high school. It continues to provide the possibility of a felony conviction, but allows a judge to NOT require the 18-year-old to register as a sex offender and provides for a sentence up to five years in prison versus up to 100 years or life in prison for forcible rape.

SB 148 is an Act to Establish Pay Equity for men and women in Montana. It had a good hearing in the Labor and Economic Affairs Committee this week. Executive Action will take place before Feb. 25. It has provisions to protect both workers and employers.

SB 141 provides for a citizen study commission to study pay and benefits of legislators. I was disappointed that it was tabled in committee. Few people, especially young, working people, can afford to serve in the legislature when they have to leave their jobs for four months every other year. I had hoped Montana citizens could take an independent look at the legislature and see if they think changes are needed.

Thursday, Feb. 9 I presented a bill to provide for more citizen participation in energy planning for Montana. Montana’s Public Service Commission considers Northwestern Energy’s energy procurement plans every two years. Northwestern submits plans for buying energy on the open market and/or building new power plants to the commission every other year. Citizen participation in this changing industry is important to the economic future of our state.

As well as Senate Tax and State Administration, I am happy to be serving on the Senate Energy Committee this session. Closure of Colstrip Power Plants I and II is front and center in the committee. Closure of I and II is possible before the mandated closure date of 2022 because the owners are losing a lot of money every year.

The market continues to decline for coal. It is a difficult situation. We are doing all we can to consider how to help Colstrip and the Montana energy economy in the years ahead. Montana has continually exported 50 percent or more of the energy we produce. We need to keep that economy strong in our state. 

More on energy, the legislature and the bills I am sponsoring in the days ahead. In the meantime, stay warm and stay safe! 

Senator Sue Malek (D)

Senate District 46

senatormalek@gmail.com