70% is a Mandate - We Are Outraged, Are You?

By Kim Abbott, Montana Human Rights Network
April 7, 2009

We at the Montana Human Rights Network are angry and we are frustrated, but our fight to ensure that the Healthy Montana Kids Plan is fully funded, as mandated by Montana Voters, continues. Yesterday the Network, with allies, engaged in direct action and descended on the Senate Finance and Claims Committee to protest the cut of 15,000 children from the Healthy Montana Kids Plan. Twenty two of us wore T-Shirts that said "FULLY FUND I-155! I REPRESENT 15,000 HEALTHY MONTANA KIDS VOTERS."

This protest was in direct response to actions by the committee. On Friday night, 10 Senate Republicans voted to pass an amendment that reduced funding for the Healthy Montana Kids Plan by half. Just as outrageous, this amendment eliminated the Special Revenue Account that voters established by passing I-155. This account was meant to fully and consistently fund the program. As it is written now, the money for this account is gone. This behavior is simply undemocratic. I-155 passed in every legislative district, in every county, and it carried 70% of the total vote.

The Network is going to keep fighting for the will of the Montana voters to be enacted. The next vote will be Thursday April 9th on the Senate floor. You can help by calling your senator and telling them to reinstate funding for the Healthy Montana Kids Plan. Please consider writing a letter to the editor of your local paper as well. We are doing the best we can here in Helena and we will keep pushing until the very end!

Contact your senator now by clicking here or calling 406-444-4800.