Public Policy
The MCADSV is a statewide coalition of individuals and
organizations working together to end domestic and sexual violence
through advocacy, public education, public policy and program
development. Our mission is to support and facilitate networking among
our member organizations while advocating for social and systems change
in Montana. One of those activities - public policy work - is an
ongoing process that is most effective if we all work together. It
involves educating, informing and working with decision-makers (at the
local, state, and federal levels) so that the policies and programs
they implement pay heed to the consequences, both negative and
positive, that their decisions might have for victims of domestic and
sexual violence and the services they can access. A large portion of the policy work that MCADSV undertakes can be
divided into two areas: state level and federal level.
Montana's State Legislature
The Legislature in Montana meets in regular session for 90 working days in every odd numbered year. The 2009 Session began in January and MCADSV's Policy Staff; Kelsen Young ( Executive Director), Judy Reel (Policy Assistant), and Megan Wilkie (AmeriCorps*VISTA) were present at the Capitol throughout the entire session to make sure that our Movement's voice was heard during the law making process. The Policy Staff worked together to produce an End of Session Final Legislative Report, a Voting Record for Legislators, and a breakdown of how each Legislator voted on MCADSV's primary legislation. The information contained in this report is more than MCADSV has ever provided after a Legislative Session and we hope that you find the information appealing, informative and useful. Please see the links and descriptions below for more detailed information on the report.
End of Session Legislative Report
This report gives you a fairly detailed analysis of each of the primary bills that MCADSV was supporting, opposing, or "watching". We have not included the final status of all of the bills, but that information is available upon request or by accessing the Legislative Services website. We provide a brief description of the bill, an analysis of the progress of the bill as it moved through the session, and brief statements about what we anticipate for the future. Please feel free to contact us for further information about a particular piece of legislation. We also provide a detailed breakdown of the bill's votes throughout the process.
Voting Record of Legislators
Non-profits, including MCADSV, are prohibited in participating in electoral activities or taking a particular stance in elections or on candidates for political office. Our End of Session Voting Record for Legislators is meant to provide you with information about how each Legislator voted on the primary pieces of legislation that MCADSV was tracking. It is not meant to convince you to advocate for one candidate over another or to engage in electoral activities. Nonprofits are allowed to compile voting history information. Again, the list is not exhaustive but reflects those bills we determined were most important. All of the information is public record - available on the Legislative Services division website. We have also conducted a level of analysis to indicate whether a particular Legislator voted in support of legislation we supported, or voted in support of legislation we opposed. If you have questions about how we determined the voting percentages, please let us know.
Detailed Vote Breakdown for Each Legislator:
These Excel files include a detailed breakdown for each of the 150 Montana Legislators. You can access your Legislator by opening the House or Senate Excel file, and then scrolling to click on the tab for your particular Legislator. The file includes contact information, a breakdown of how they voted on our primary legislation, information about whether or not they are "termed" or will be up for re-election, and information about bills they sponsored if they were on any of our tracking lists.
Federal-Level Policy Work
MCADSV partners with a number of national organizations to educate Montana's 3-person Congressional Delegation about issues related to domestic and sexual violence and to inform them about pending federal legislation that is relevant. We are a member of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), which has been working with Congress on issues related to domestic violence, Violence Against Women Act funding, and victims' rights.Click here to go to the Legislative Action Center on the NNEDV website and check out the most current information on the policy issues they feel are critical. Unfortunately, NNEDV does not yet have a sexual violence counterpart, although sexual violence advocates are working to establish a national presence.
Montana's Congressional Delegation
Montana currently has three members in it's congressional delegation: two Senators and one Congressman. Since they represent all of Montana, it is important to keep them informed about our concerns and the issues we consider important. We also need to thank them and encourage them whenever they support us and our positions. Click here to learn more about Montana's Congressional Delegation.
Policy Resources
If you are interested in building a better understanding of some of the public policy issues related to domestic and sexual violence, please check out some of the resources that we use on a regular basis:
Facts and Numbers
Statistics can be very helpful to shape one's understanding of the
scope and intricacies of an issue or project. On other pages of MCADSV
website you will find links to some of the national statistics
relevant to domestic and sexual violence. National statistics are
important, but when working with Montana policymakers, having Montana
statistics is key. The repository for that data, however, depends upon
what you are looking for. Click on the links below to check out two
primary sources of data related to victimization and sexual and
domestic violence.
Montana Board of Crime Control: The MBCC
is the respository for the statistics that law enforcement agencies
across the state collect. The website offers a number of crime
reports, some of which searchable by county and crime.
Montana State Supreme Court: The Montana
Supreme Court Administrator's Office publishes the Annual Reports of
the Montana Judiciary, which provide some information about the cases
tried before Montana Courts. They report numbers for domestic violence
and a number of other crimes.
Links
Below are links to websites that we use
most often for policy-related research. (Please note that the links for Domestic Violence Statutes and Sexual Violence Statutes will take you to 2007 MCA Code. We will redirect people to the 2009 MCA Code as soon as it is available).
Funding for
Montana's Direct Service Programs
CPS/DV Protocol
Workgroup
Montana State Legislature: This page
provides links to bills and legislative action for the past four
legislative sessions. It is also provides a link to a searchable
database of Montana's Code and Constitution.
Thomas:Hosted
by the U.S. Library of Congress, this site is the Internet portal to
the U.S. Congress. Here you can find out about legislation, what is
scheduled for the House and Senate Floors and committee action.
The National
Network to End Domestic Violence: In addition to its
Legislative Action Center, NNEDV also has a current listing of all
state coalitions and links to their Web sites, many of which have
policy sections. It's a good way to get a glimpse into what activists
in other states are doing.
American Bar Association Commissions:The
American Bar Association has a number of commissions on various policy
topics that intersect with the work we do. One of those is the
Commission on Domestic Violence. This page has links to the Web site
pages of all those commissions.
National
Sexual Violence Resource Center: This is a good page to
find links and discussion of legislation related to sexual violence.
Center for
Law and Social Policy: This organization conducts
research, policy analysis, technical assistance, and advocacy on issues
related to economic security for low-income families with children.
National
Center for Victims of Crime: This site is a good place
to find statistics, updated information, and links to ongoing policy
issues related to domestic and sexual violence and victims of all
crimes.
SAFETY ALERT: Home computers can pose a safety threat if you are being abused. When you visit this or any other site about domestic or sexual violence, it is possible for your abuser to find out that you have been getting information on domestic or sexual violence. There are some precautions you can take (click here for more information).
If you feel you are in danger after reading this, please call your local crisis hotline or the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). If the danger is immediate, call 911.
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