The Montana Constitution is a cornerstone of our democracy. This incredible document was written by 100 nonpartisan delegates, who were elected by their communities and were not allowed to be politicians. It was written by ranchers, clergy, homemakers, and even a beekeeper from Lewistown – and they were able to work out a document that all 100 of them agreed on and signed, and then the voters of Montana approved. In fact, Montana voters have repeatedly reapproved our state constitution.
This landmark document guarantees at least 17 rights that are not protected under the federal constitution, but because it gives us those rights, and limits the power of politicians, there are state legislators talking about amending it, or even scrapping it entirely and starting over.
That’s the wrong move. Join our movement to protect the constitution. Sign our petition calling on our lawmakers to defend and uphold it as currently written – not change it to suit their political goals.
Some of the rights guaranteed under the Montana Constitution:
- Government transparency, access to government meetings, documents, and decisions: It stipulates that government meetings and documents shall be public unless the right to individual privacy exceeds the public right to know. Before that, all votes that politicians took were in secret, and their discussions were secret as well. Now the public has access to their official meetings, as well as to legislative records and government agency records. It also requires that the public be able to participate in government decisions.
- The recognition of Native American culture and history: Our constitution provides the foundation for the preservation of Native American languages and Indian Education for All.
- Nonpartisan redistricting/fair elections: Our constitution protects our democracy by making Montana one of the hardest states to gerrymander, having a nonpartisan commission draw our legislative districts.
- Public lands and stream access: The constitution says that our rivers and streams belong to the people of Montana, which is the foundation of Montana’s stream access for fishing and boating. It also provides the foundation for our public lands.
- Checks and balances for fair, nonpartisan courts: The constitution provides the foundation of our state legal system, including checks and balances between the branches of state government, and also the rights of people in that system, including due process, access to justice, a fair and speedy trial and ruling, and the rights for citizens to sue government, among other things.
- A clean and healthful environment: Our constitution provides us with a right to clean air and water, and to pass the places we love on to future generations.
