News

The Montana Public Policy Center has an Amicus brief in 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals in the Cedar Park Assembly of God of Kirkland v. Kreidler case.

The case centers around a 2018 Washington law (SB 6219) that requires all employers, including churches such as Cedar Park, to provide insurance coverage for abortion if the employer’s insurance includes maternity care coverage to its employees. Violators face fines and criminal penalties, including imprisonment.

Cedar Park originally had a health plan that excluded abortion services. However, when SB 6219 took effect, their insurance provider added coverage for surgical abortions and abortifacient contraceptives to align with Washington state law. The insurer stated that it would drop abortion coverage mid-year if churches were able to secure an exemption from the mandate. For the past five years, Cedar Park has been pursuing legal action to obtain that exemption.

 

View the Brief HERE

The Montana Public Policy Center submitted the following comment in opposition to revisions to BLM oil and gas leasing regulations to BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning

The Montana Public Policy Center, Inc. (“MPPC”) is a non-profit organization located in Montana. MPPC exists to promote public policy solutions that provide increased access to economic opportunities, greater individual freedoms, and encourage great participation on public matters. MPPC strongly opposes BLM’s proposed rule changes. MPPC joins the public comment submitted by Mountain States Legal Foundation(MSLF) and the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico(IPANM).

VIEW MSLF IPANM Comment HERE

The Montana Public Policy Center commented in opposition to Department of Education proposed rule regarding sex-related eligibility criteria for male and female athletic teams.

Every girl in Montana’s schools should have the right to not only have equal opportunities in sports as boys are afforded, but for their participation in competitive sports to be meaningful and protected by Title IX’s statutory right to have sex-separated sports. This proposed rule change will erode Title IX’s five decades of progress for girls and women to have a fair opportunity to participate in competitive sports that were long only afforded to boys and men. Due to average, common physiological differences, biological males have distinct advantages over biological females in physical sports. Thus, allowing biological males to participate in female competitive sports undermines the very purpose of Title IX. In its current form, Title IX provides important statutory protections for girls and women to have equal rights in educational settings, including the right to have sex-separated sports. The Department’s proposed rule conflates gender identity with sex—which are not the same. Without honoring the distinction of males and females in sports, females would quickly be eliminated from participation or competition and denied the right to have a meaningful opportunity to participate in sports.

View the Comment HERE

The Montana Public Policy Center comment in support of June 27,2023 Comp Sale:

The Montana Public Policy Center (“MPPC”) fully supports the proposed lease sale from the BLM’s Montana-Dakotas State Office. After months of high inflation rates nationwide and rapidly increasing costs of living, this lease sale poises local economies to see new jobs, new tax revenues, and new opportunities for years to come. MPPC is pleased to see the BLM acting to offer the lease opportunities, in accordance with their federal mandates.

View the full comment HERE