Montana News Roundup: Will “Bathroom Bill” Result in Change?

A Missoula County District Court judge will extend the temporary restraining order on Montana's new rules to protect "gender privacy" in restrooms and other public spaces.

Attorneys are arguing over the impacts of Montana's so-called "bathroom bill", attempting to convince a Missoula County District Court judge to either suspend enforcement of House Bill 121 or give it a chance to take effect and result in changes.

Monday, ACLU of Montana attorney Alex Lake argued the bill, which sets clear boundaries of "male" and "female" facilities, violates both the rights and privacy of Montana's transgender residents, essentially forcing them to "come out" if they want to use the restroom or locker room.

"What the state's policy does," Lake contended, "is out themselves every time they need to use the bathroom."

But state's attorney Thane Johnson says women, and especially young girls, also have "protected status", saying the law gives courthouses, schools, and other public spaces a chance to resolve conflicts with measures like door locks, or single-use restrooms…

"I think this is an opportunity for us to do that," Johnson told the judge. "And let's take a breath and see how it goes."

After the 1-hour hearing, Judge Shane Vannatta said he's taking time to consider the injunction, with a decision next month.

RELATED: Will There Be a Shortage of National Park Bathrooms This Year

Montana Tuesday Trivia
-How many elk are in Montana? See answer below ⬇️

Big bucks for… big bucks

Non-resident hunters will be paying a LOT more money in the future after the Montana Legislature approves a bill hiking license fees by 566%.

• The 85,000 out-of-state hunters have been paying just $15 for a base license fee, in addition to buying specific tags that can run into the hundreds of dollars.

The Daily Montanan reports that under the change just approved, the base fee is going up to $100. Backers of the change say they will generate an additional $7 million in license fees, most going to the block management program.

Outfitters complain it will hurt their business.

Buy Your Way to Mayor

Craving power? Or just peace and quiet? You might consider buying the entire town of Pray, Montana, which is on the market again. This time around, the listing price is $2.6 million. But that includes the 5-acre town site in the Paradise Valley, complete with some remodeled cabins, and its own grocery store and post office.

Montana Tuesday Trivia Answer

In 2022, Montana FWP estimated there are 141,000 elk in Montana, one of the largest populations of any state in the U.S.