Greg Gianforte

Director Adam Meier will leave the state Department of Public Health and Human Services on Aug.12, citing a family health issue.

Following the Infrastructure Advisory Commission’s recommendations, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Friday that he has dedicated $2 million toward addressing emergencies related to the recent floods.

President Joe Biden has declared the catastrophic flooding in Montana a major disaster following requests from the state’s governor and congressional delegation. Gov. Greg Gianforte has been traveling since late last week and was scheduled to return to Montana Thursday night.

In a news release, Gianforte’s office said the governor’s personal trip out of the country has been long-planned with First Lady Susan Gianforte, and they left late last week. It's unclear where the governor is and when he will return.

Montana Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras is the acting executive of the state while Gov. Greg Gianforte is out of the country. The governor’s office did not say where Gianforte is traveling.

After earlier attributing the declaration to Gov. Greg Gianforte, his office later said Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras had signed the order.

The Montana Board of Regents on Thursday voted to let Montana State University name a computer science department building the Gianforte School of Computing after the governor's family foundation.

The governor’s spokesperson Brooke Stroyke said in an email that Gianforte invited the vice president and that he and Pence have been friends for six years. She said the visit did not relate to official state business.

Republicans have two main options if they move to ban abortion in Montana: They can enact a law that will most likely be challenged in the courts, or they can push for a constitutional referendum to change the state’s bill of rights, which would then have to go before voters.

Western Montana’s wildfire outlook is still uncertain. Forecasters are watching the precipitation, but say significant wildfires remain a risk in Montana this season.