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Governor Steve Bullock Reflects on Montana 2017 Accomplishments

As 2017 comes to an end, we take a moment from our busy days to reflect on the events and accomplishments from this past year. Although there were challenges, we made important bipartisan progress to keep Montana a place we are all proud to call home.

Montanans can be pleased to have a growing economy, increased access to public lands, quality education for all students, and greater access to health care. We as Montanans worked together, side by side, to get these things done. We can look forward to the new year and the opportunities that lie ahead for our state.

MONTANA’S RANKINGS

Fastest Growing Manufacturing Sector in the Nation

Best in the West for Lands and Public Access

4% Unemployment Rate

4th Highest Wage Growth in the Nation

AA Sterling Bond Rating

A Grade for Policies that Foster Outdoor Recreation and Strenthening Our Outdoor Economy

30% Increase in Apprenticeships Since 2013

2017 LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

QUALITY JOBS PLAN: The Quality Jobs Plan will increase career opportunities for Montanans by providing businesses with a tax incentive to grow apprenticeships and hire veterans. The Quality Jobs Plan also lowered taxes on Main Street businesses by giving local governments the option to waive up to 75% of new or expanding businesses’ equipment tax obligation.

MONTANA FAMILIES: The Working Montana Families Tax Credit will help hard-working Montana families get ahead through an additional tax credit that will be provided to low- and moderate-income workers of up to 3% of the federal earned income tax credit.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM: A new suite of bills will help to reform Montana’s criminal justice system aimed at improving outcome for offenders, providing more treatment options, saving taxpayers money, and keeping our communities safe.

PROTECT MONTANA KIDS: Five measures, recommended by my Protect Montana Kids Commission, expanded services and increased protections for Montana’s kids in foster care.

SUICIDE PREVENTION: An investment of $1 million will assist with youth suicide prevention efforts, targeted at providing schools, tribes, tribal and urban health care providers, and organizations with community prevention grants.

STRENGTHENING MONTANA’S GROWING ECONOMY

UNEMPLOYMENT: Montana’s unemployment rate held steady throughout the year at 4% or below, at the ideal rate and below the national average.

JOBS: More Montanans are working than ever before in the state’s history, Montana experienced the 4th fastest wage growth in the nation over the past ten years, and Montana has the fastest growing manufacturing sector in the nation.

APPRENTICESHIPS: A new tax incentive for Montana businesses to offer on-the-job training to Montanans and veterans will bolster apprenticeship opportunities. Montana has grown apprenticeships by nearly 30% since 2013.

INCREASING ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS

ACCESS: Created the Montana Public Land Access Network (MT-PLAN) to increase access to public lands by pursuing public access easements and completing projects that enhance existing public access sites in Montana. Additionally, the Public Access Specialist position was created to troubleshoot specific issues preventing full public access to public lands.

OUTDOOR RECREATION: Created the Office of Outdoor Recreation to support growth in this industry, enable the industry’s success, and ensure that our recreation resources can continue to thrive for current and future generations. Outdoor recreation in Montana supports 71,000 jobs with $2.2 billion in wages, and contributes $286 million in state and local tax revenue.

NOT ON OUR WATCH: Over a thousand hunters, ranchers, anglers, veterans, grandparents and children joined a rally at the State Capitol in January to declare that Montana’s public lands will not be sold to the highest bidder, not on our watch.

ENSURING A QUALITY EDUCATION FOR MONTANA STUDENTS

PRESCHOOL: Secured the first-ever state investment in publicly-funded, high-quality early childhood education. The funding created the STARS Preschool pilot program, which is now providing 300 of Montana’s four-year-olds with access to preschool in 17 communities across the state.

DUAL ENROLLMENT: More than 5,000 students enrolled in dual credit courses across the state this year, growing by over 1,000 students from the previous year and hitting the goal to increase enrollment.

BROADBAND: Created a state match to leverage broadband funds to help schools upgrade their broadband infrastructure and teamed up with EducationSuperHighway to help school districts make significant upgrades to high-speed broadband.

BREAKFAST: Partnered with Montana No Kid Hungry to provide over $67,000 in private grant funding to 16 Montana schools to expand school breakfast programs and ensure students are receiving a quality education on a full stomach.

IMPROVING HEALTH CARE FOR MONTANANS

BIPARTISANSHIP: Worked with Republican and Democratic governors across the nation to urge that Congress bring us to the table for discussions and seek bipartisan solutions to health care reform, address rising costs, and restore stability.

MEDICAID EXPANSION: Montana has saved $30 million as a result Medicaid expansion. Over 86,000 Montanans have gained access to healthcare from Medicaid expansion and the uninsured rate in Montana has dropped from a staggering 20% in 2013 to 7% in 2016.

MENTAL HEALTH: Signed into law the Montana Mental Health Parity Act to require insurance plans to give equal treatment for physical health, mental health, and substance use disorders, and worked with public and private partners to advance more integrated behavioral and physical health with the first ECHO-enhanced collaborative care project in the nation, giving 16 primary care practices access to a behavioral health team of experts.

SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT: Signed into law the Help Save Lives from Overdose Act, which issued a standing order authorizing opioid antagonists, and the Access to Behavioral Health Act, which has already doubled access to Medicaid substance use treatment providers in Montana. Partnered with over 100 stakeholder entities throughout Montana to seek innovative ways to prevent deaths and find treatment for those struggling with substance use disorders.

COMING TOGETHER IN TOUGH TIMES

SPECIAL SESSION: Brought together Republican and Democratic legislators to avoid an additional $150 million in cuts to essential government services by proposing fund transfers, revenue increases, and other legislation to balance the budget during a special legislative session.

MONTANA’S 2017 FIRE SEASON: At the peak of the fire season, over 500 National Guardsmen and women and over 5,000 people were assigned to fight fires, and thousands of additional Montanans volunteered their time to support their neighbors impacted by the fires.

FEDERAL FUNDING: Worked with federal partners, including FEMA Administrator Brock Long, to secure federal funding to assist with firefighting costs. FEMA issued a total of 9 FMAGs to assist with 75% of the response expenses.

RECOVERY: During and after Montana’s long and expensive fire season, local, state, and federal partners worked together by dedicating resources from the state’s environmental contingency fund to conservation districts for fire recovery and timber salvage, and to identify state and federal programs to assist businesses impacted by the fires.

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