Montana State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- No Answer

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- My husband and I had the joy of adopting a baby who was scheduled for abortion. He changed our lives. Life begins at conception and in far too many cases, abortion is used as birth control. Law allows for abortion so if a mother chooses to kill her baby, she needs to be responsible for paying for the abortion not taxpayers. In tragic cases of rape, some mothers choose to keep their child and have been grateful they did. For those who can't, I would encourage them to choose life and adoption. Children are a gift.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- Yes

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

5. Eliminating block grants to public school districts?
- Yes

6. Decreasing funding to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Montanans are paying enough in taxes. Many are struggling to stay in their homes as property taxes increase. We need to be wise in how our hard earned tax dollars are spent. In areas where there is inefficiencies or duplication of services, it is appropriate that cuts are made. In some areas, the outcomes of programs are so poor that the only thing being accomplished is government payroll. In other programs, we have fantastic results but there isn't enough funding to make the impact necessary. It's time to prioritize how funds are spent while increasing accountability and transparency.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Voting is one of the most important privileges we have as Americans. Only citizens should have the opportunity to vote on decisions that affect and represent Americans. Proof of ID is necessary to buy anything from alcohol to boarding a plane. It absolutely should be required in order to vote. Cheating wasn't allowed in grade school so it certainly shouldn't be allowed with voting.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No Answer

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- c) It would depend on the age and maturity of the minor and the crime committed.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- Yes

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Montana?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- f) As unemployment rates continues to stay low, the market will drive wages up. Government does not need to intervene. As a business owner, we understood that in order to attract and keep quality employees, we had to pay better than minimum wage.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Montana?
- No

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- Yes

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Montana high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- No

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No Answer

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- Overall I think that government regulations can be/and are stifling. However, I value our clean air

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- Yes

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- Adequate gun laws are in place. Criminals don't follow the law anyway so to add restrictions on law abiding citizens won't keep criminals from using guns for crimes. Regarding teachers having guns in the classrooms: That is a decision that needs to be made by the local school board and coordinated with local law enforcement. Knowing that guns are at schools for protection could deter school related shootings.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Montana's health care programs?
- No

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- No

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- No

6. Do you support increasing state funding for tracking and reporting opioid usage and overdoses?
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- A & F) We need to address addiction issues with evidence-based programs that have positive results. Too often, we throw money at programs that don't work or don't provide enough follow-up support after treatment. Treatment alone is not the answer.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Montana's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Montana's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

3. Do you support greater efforts by Montana state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- No

4. Should individuals be required to use a bathroom that corresponds with the gender listed on their birth certificate?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- a, b, & c) There are already laws covering these issues.

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- 1) Mental health issues are driving other social issues. There are not enough services to address the magnitude of the problem. We need to begin helping people at the root causes. No one decides they want to be an addict. These social ills are often a result of unresolved childhood trauma. We need to help people break the cycles by providing support and education before the crisis occurs. 2) Responsible spending of taxes, government accountability, and transparency. Big government cannot solve local issues. Keep decisions close to where the issues are so that real solutions can be developed.