50th Anniversary of Montana’s Constitutional Convention & Constitution

1301 East 6th,Helena MT 59601

15 June, 2022

Description

“We The People”: The Making of a Constitution Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the 1972 Constitutional Convention Agenda as of May 4, 2022 “We The People”: The Making of a Constitution Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the 1972 Constitutional Convention and Adoption of the Constitution by the People of Montana June 15-16, 2022, State Capitol – Helena Montana Wednesday, June 15, 2022 Convention Hall (House of Representatives Chamber) 10:00 am ​Call to Order Marshall Murray, President of the Montana Constitutional Convention Society, Convention Delegate from Kalispell 10:05​ Invocation Gene Harbaugh, Convention Delegate from Poplar 10:10​ Land Acknowledgment Jerry Loendorf, Convention Delegate from Helena 10:15 ​​​Welcome from Governor Greg Gianforte (recorded) 10:20​ Remarks of Marshall Murray re Montana Constitutional Society, Acknowledgment of Greeting from former Governor Ted Schwinden (printed copy insert in program) 10:30 ​Roll Call of the Delegates Ed Smith, former Clerk of Supreme Court and Convention Clerk. Remarks from delegates and descendants as roll is called 11: 30 ​Honor Song: Michael Jetty (Dakota, Anishinaabe), Shane Doyle (Crow) 11:45 ​Recess for lunch Lunch in the Rotunda (Brown Bag lunch) $15 ticket purchase required 12:00 – 1:00 pm Remarks from former Governor Brian Schweitzer Wanesa: Drum Group with Amanda and Autumn Walking Child, Anishinaabe (Chippewa); Dancers “We the People”: The Making of a Constitution A Series of Panel Discussions about the Constitution of Montana and the 1972 Constitutional Convention Convention Hall (House of Representatives Chamber) 1:15 pm​Preamble to Montana’s Constitution We the people of Montana grateful to God for the quiet beauty of our state, the grandeur of our mountains, the vastness of our rolling plains, and desiring to improve the quality of life, equality of opportunity and to secure the blessings of liberty for this and future generations do ordain and establish this constitution. Welcome and Recognitions from Constitutional Convention Celebration Committee, Daniel Kemmis, former Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives and author of Citizens Uniting to Restore Our Democracy 1:45– 3:15​ Panel 1 “The Beginning” – How the 1972 Constitution Came to Be (why, when, who and how) Moderator: Jeff Wiltse, History Professor, University of Montana; Panelists: Bob Brown, former State legislator and former Secretary of State; Evan Barrett, Convention historian; Arlyne Reichert, Convention delegate from Great Falls; Nancy Leifer, President, League of Women Voters of Montana 3:30 – 5:00 ​Panel 2 “Let the Sunshine In” — The Citizens’ Right to Know and Participate in government at all levels. Moderator: Jerry Loendorf, Convention delegate from Helena; Chuck Johnson, long term reporter and former Bureau Chief for Lee Newspapers State Bureau; Mike Meloy, former state legislator and legal authority on open public records and access; Elizabeth Kavela, legal adviser to School Districts; Andrew Huff, former Chief Legal Counsel to Governor Steve Bullock 5:00 pm ​​Invitation to Reception at Historical Society Molly Kruckenberg, Society President, Montana Historical Society Building 5:15 – 7:00 PM​ Cocktail Reception in Grand Entry to Montana Historical Society Building – All in Attendance are Welcome (No host bar) ​7 :15 PM ​Delegates and families, convention staff and invited guests - Dinner at Great Northern Reflections from Senator and Ambassador Max Baucus ​​​Remembrances Thursday, June 16, 2022 Convention Hall (House of Representatives Chamber) 9:00 am ​Greetings – The Honorable Mike McGrath, Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court ​​​Invocation – Lisa Skari (daughter of Carmen ​​​​​​​Skari, Convention Delegate from Chester) 9:15 - 10:15 Panel 3 “The Basic Rule of Law: The Backbone of a Constitution.” The allocation of powers and checks and balances among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Moderator: Greg Petesch, former Director of the Montana Legislative Council. Panelists: Honorable Kristen Juras, Lt. Governor of the State of Montana; Bill Mercer, Montana House of Representatives; and the Honorable Jim Rice, Justice of the Montana Supreme Court 10:30 – 11:45 Panel 4 “Natural Resources, Water and the Right to a Clean and Healthful Environment.” Moderator: Richard Opper, former head of DEQ. Panelists: Christopher Dorrington, Director, DEQ; Tom France, Montana House of Representatives and former Regional Director, National Wildlife Federation; Dorothy Bradley, former State legislator and Director of MSU Water Center; Heather Grahame, General Counsel, Northwestern Energy 11:45 Recess for Lunch. Lunch in the Rotunda. Brown bag lunch $15 ticket required 12:00-12:45 Introduction by Norma Bixby, former State legislator and Director of Northern Cheyenne Tribal Education Department Native American Perspectives on the Montana Constitution Denise Juneau, former Superintendent of Public Instruction Lillian Alvernaz, Chief Prosecutor, Fort Peck Reservation Convention Hall (House of Representatives Chamber) 1:00- 2:15​ Panel 5 “Montana’s Unique and Comprehensive Declaration of Rights” Moderator: Rick Applegate, Research Analyst for Bill of Rights Committee at Convention. Panelists: Caitlin Borgmann, Executive Director of the ACLU; Daniel Zolnikov, former state legislator; Marieke Beck, Bureau Chief, Human Rights Bureau; Jon Ellingson, former state legislator, lawyer with Attorney General’s office and ACLU; John Morrison, lawyer and former State Auditor 2:30 -3:30 ​Panel 6 “Revenue and Taxation” ​Moderator: Roger Barber, research analyst for the Taxation Committee at Convention. Panelists: Llew Jones, Montana House of Representatives; ​Bob Story, Montana Taxpayers Association; Dan Bucks, former director of Department of Revenue; Kelly Lynch, Director of the League of Cities and Towns 3:45 – 5:00 ​Panel 7 “Education and Public Lands” Moderator: Bruce Sievers, research analyst to the Education Committee at Convention. Panelists: Jim Molloy, litigated right to equal, quality education under the Constitution; David Bedey, Montana House of Representatives; Sheila Stearns, former University President and Commissioner of the Montana System of Higher Education; Rob Watson, Executive Director, School Administrators of Montana 5:05-5:45 ​Closing “Hope and Vision for Future Generations under the Montana Constitution” ​Panel with Mae Nan Ellingson, Convention Delegate from Missoula, and former Montana Governors Marc Racicot and Steve Bullock Adjournment