Montana Legislature Narrowly Votes to Overturn Gianforte Veto on County Detention Funding Bill

Legislature overrides governor’s veto on funding for county jails

The mental health wing of the Flathead County Detention Center in Kalispell, Montana. This wing is the only part of the jail that has single cells with windows to hold inmates who are a risk to themselves or others. When these cells regularly fill up, inmates waiting for admission to the state hospital are kept in windowless cells in the jail’s receiving area. (Photo by Aaron Bolton for KFF Health News) The Montana Legislature voted to override …

Montana Legislature narrowly votes to overturn Gianforte veto on county detention funding bill

The Montana Legislature has voted to overturn Gov. Greg Gianfortes veto of a bill that will pay counties for some of the costs of holding inmates waiting for mental health evaluations or treatment.67 House members and 34 senators voted to override the veto on House Bill 643 the exact number required to clear the two-thirds threshold in each chamber.(Watch the video for more on the impact holding these inmates has on counties.) Montana Legislatur…

Legislature overrides Gianforte’s veto of bill reimbursing county jails for holding state inmates

The Montana Legislature has voted to override Gov. Greg Gianforte’s veto of a bill to reimburse local jails for holding inmates waiting for a bed at the state mental hospital.  By the July 14 deadline, 67 representatives and 34 senators voted to override the veto of House Bill 643. The override required two-thirds majorities in each chamber, meaning the House vote succeeded by one vote. Legislators who did not return their ballots in time were c…