The Blog at MSPC

Lawmakers willfully defying a ruling they don’t like in hopes that different judges will change a century of legal precedents, against the backdrop of voters consistently rejecting income tax constitutional amendments, is a recipe for constitutional chaos.

Government belongs to the people. The people don’t need permission to watch it work.

Because water is so precious, the law governing it should be fair and certain. People are entitled to know what they can and can’t do. They need assurance that the rules will not change suddenly. Unfortunately, the Montana state constitution’s water provisions are confused and contradictory.

Our Founders gave us a precious constitutional right to correct the federal government when it has gone off the rails. It is our privilege, and obligation, to use it, and Idaho has the opportunity to join the majority of other states that have voted to do so.

Wyoming legislators are right to address the necessity of upholding the principles of federalism in the 2026 Legislative Session in the form of SJ 2.

The Founders of the Constitution would not have provided the Article V option to the states if they were concerned that a “runaway convention” would undo all their hard work.

A plethora of research has found that economic prosperity depends on secure property rights. The insecurity of property rights was one reason Montana lagged economically for so long. Moreover, property owners serve as a necessary counterbalance to government power. And protecting the benefits people earn is simple justice.

The study evaluates four potential models—county-based, regional, proportional statewide, and legislative-district-based approaches—and assesses their legal viability, administrative complexity, and potential impact on campaign incentives.

One of the perennial questions that gets asked each legislative session is “How many bills are enough?” Too often, monitoring legislative bill introductions can feel like that scene in the original Harry Potter movie, where thousands of pieces of mail are floating around the house.

Authoritarian mandates do not belong in a constitution for a free people. And a constitution should leave no doubt that the people, not the government, are the source of all political power.

The bill would require governing bodies to provide an opportunity for public comment at all open public meetings, either in person or through remote means like telephone or video conferencing.

One reason property taxes are a blazing issue in Montana is that the state constitution affords insufficient protection against tax hikes.

We have dozens of policy recommendations for lawmakers to consider. These reforms can be acted on even with the challenging budget situations across the states. Here are a couple of our top recommendations for Idaho, Washington and Wyoming lawmakers

In 2030, Montanans will decide whether to hold a new state constitutional convention. This column is the fourth in a series designed to provoke discussion in advance of this important decision. Previous columns examined the poor drafting of the constitution’s university and environmental provisions. Poorly drafted constitutional language encourages lawyers and judges to “interpret” it in ways that take power away from the people and their elected representatives.

One reason Montanans should opt for a new state constitutional convention in 2030 is that the 1972 constitution is plagued by poorly written

This will be a momentous decision, so it is not too early to begin public discussion now. Moreover, Montanans are entitled to hear all sides of the issue: All too often, opinion makers have celebrated the existing state constitution without admitting that it has flaws.

The decision may put to rest objections in the Montana legislature to calling for a “convention of states” to address the federal government’s dysfunction.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in Loper Bright Enterprises  v. Raimondo is reshaping federal land use in Wyoming and policy throughout the United States.

Fifty years ago, government shutdowns didn’t exist. But now, each fall, the nation groans as Congress turns one of its most fundamental duties—passing a budget—into a manufactured crisis.

Think about that: a school board, funded by taxpayers, making decisions that affect families, students, and teachers—telling the press and the public to put their cameras away.