The 2025 Montana state legislative session is in full swing and the American Indian Caucus has a plethora of issues it plans to focus on.
This story from the Montana Free Press also appeared in ICT
The beginning of the legislative session gave way with a Democrat press conference to introduce the party and the issues they plan to pursue for the following months, with a major focus on health care and affordable housing.
During the press conference, this session’s Montana American Indian Caucus (MAIC) introduced their legislative goals to ensure the Montana Native population and Montana in general is informed of their initiative to improve general living for their constituents.
Democratic state Sen. Shane Morigeau, Salish and Kootenai, was the key speaker for the Indian Caucus to announce the main priorities of the caucus.
Morigeau began by stating “As Native People, we understand the value of resilient communities sharing our traditions with future generations and we know these values are not just ours they are Montana values and when we deliver for Indian Country we deliver for all of Montana.”
Following that, Morigeau laid out a number of prerogatives that the caucus plans to address.
Pressing for the reauthorization of the Montana Indian Child Welfare Act (MICWA) and ensuring that tribal children are provided the best opportunity to be placed in eligible homes within their tribal communities was high on the list.
WATCH related coverage: Indigenous lawmakers sworn in as Montana Legislature begins 69th session
The reauthorization aims to support children growing up in an environment that supports their culture and traditions as a citizen of a sovereign tribal nation. The caucus also is looking to include amendments to the bill.
In an interview, Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, Chippewa Cree, focused on an amendment that would put an onus on non-Native adoptive parents to allow adopted Native children to participate in cultural events.
“So if they were to take this kid who was adopted by non-Native parents, one of the amendments will address that whenever there are cultural events, pow wow ceremonies or whatever that they’ll have to make that extra effort so that kid can participate in those functions,” Windy Boy said.
Additionally, Medicaid is not only a major part of the American Indian Caucus’ agenda but the Democratic Party as a whole and within this agenda the tribal caucus is striving to instate a tribal health manager at the state level.
In previous years this position provided a Native voice to speak on health concerns in regards to Indian Country. After the last manager left the position, the Department of Public Health and Human Services has not reinstated the position. Sen. Susan Webber, Blackfeet, will be one of the leads to introduce a bill in regards to this matter.
The issue of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples movement has steadily grown over the last several years and addressing it is a major issue for the caucus.
Multiple members plan to pursue this goal by looking to create strong investigations units and overall more law enforcement on reservations in hopes to protect not only Indian Country but Montana as a whole from human trafficking.
Of the victims of MMIP over 80% are under the age of 18, a major health and safety concern for young people.
Education change is also critical to the American Indian Caucus.
Multiple objectives revolve around providing language classes to preserve Native culture and language for students. Native languages are not only invaluable to Indigenous people, but are also a foundation of Montana and an important piece of the state’s history.
While speaking about his own upbringing, Windy Boy said “My dad spoke fluent Cree. My mother spoke fluent Assiniboine. And they come together with the agreement that the main language spoken in the household is going to be English.”
This was a common theme throughout Indian Country due to the boarding school era to adopt English because Native parents believed it would help to stop the trauma they themselves had faced. That could begin to be remedied by some of the language bills to be put forth this session, caucus members say.
The caucus also looks to ensure that children receive the proper education to hone skills they will need to pursue careers in the future. The Grow Your Own Grant Program, which incentivizes Montana students to become teachers and serve in Montana communities, aims to address the need for qualified educators the state currently faces.
This is seen as a step in the right direction but clearly more is needed, Morigeau said, for the Montana education system and the caucus recognizes this.
In 2023 the Montana State Lottery generated $22.7 million for the state, this revenue is then transferred to the General Fund and used as the state sees fit, which has become a concern of the caucus.
Morigeau stated at the press conference the party will be looking at ways to address that concern.
“We will be working to reform the ways in which our school funding formulas work. When Montanans first set up the state lottery, all of Montana was told that these funds would actually go to education. That didn’t happen,” Morigeau said. “The Legislature has failed to follow through on that promise. And so, Montana Democrats will move legislation that finally puts those dollars to work, where they’re supposed to belong”.
THE CAUCUS MEMBERS
Following the 2023 Montana legislative session, 2025 brings a total of 12 members to the Montana American Indian Caucus with the possibility of more joining later into the session. After the 2024 election there has been some changes to both the individuals that are a part of the caucus as well as the chambers they serve. The current Montana American Indian caucus includes Democrats:
- Sen. Shane Morigeau, Missoula, Salish and Kootenai
- Sen. Susan Webber, Browning, Blackfeet
- Sen. Jacinda Morigeau, Arlee, Salish and Kootenai
- Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, Rocky Boy/Box Elder?, Chippewa Cree
- Rep. Mike Fox, Hays, Gros Ventres and Assiniboine
- Rep. Tyson Running Wolf, Browning, Blackfeet
- Rep. Frank Smith, Poplar, Assiniboine and Sioux
- Rep. Thedis Crowe, Browning, Blackfeet
- Rep. Sidney “Chip” Fitzpatrick, Crow Agency, Crow
- Rep. Shelly Fyant, Arlee, Salish
- Rep. Donavon Hawk, Butte, Lakota and Crow
- Rep. Jade Sooktis, Lame Deer, Northern Cheyenne
With a healthy list of priorities, Montana’s American Indian Caucus hopes to accomplish its goals while facing a Republican supermajority.
This story is co-published by Montana Free Press and ICT, a news partnership that covers the Montana American Indian Caucus during the state’s 2025 legislative session.
