Eric Dietrich, Montana Free Press

Eastern Montana's Carter County is bucking longtime trends toward population declines in rural plains communities, adding 255 residents according to the 2020 census. How? Oil money, dinosaurs and family.

In our final episode for the 2021 legislative session, we're looking at new laws, how lawmakers sought to asset more power among Montana's branches of government and what loose ends remain as we head into the interim.

This week we’re watching how the Republican majority is spending their mandate from voters as the session is winding down and last minute legislation.

This week we’re watching a mounting dispute over separation of powers between the Legislature and the Montana Supreme Court. We’re also watching the debate on a bill that would incentivize the state’s largest utility to buy more of the Colstrip coal-fired power plant.

This week we’re watching how lawmakers are piecing the budget puzzle together. Major questions remain over new taxes cuts, funding state agencies, what to do with federal stimulus and recreational marijuana.

As of midday Friday 918 bills had been introduced and Gov. Greg Gianforte had signed three bills into law. This week we’re watching legislation on tax policy, public health and labor unions.

As of mid-day Friday, 594 bills had been introduced and Gov. Greg Gianforte had signed one bill into law. This week, we’re watching bills that would cut taxes, implement “right to work” policies and end same-day voter registration in Montana.

Where is the unprecedented money flooding Montana’s Senate race coming from? Mostly out of state.

Individually, our decisions about where to live and what to do for work shape our lives profoundly. The way Montanans answer those questions...

Two different versions of Montana conservatism have been butting heads for years in the statehouse. And they’ll be pitted against each other again in...