Jason Ellsworth

Rep. Ross Fitzgerald, R-Fairfield, was deemed a close contact associated with another lawmaker's case.

Rep. Becky Beard of Elliston was last in the Capitol on Friday, where she participated in the floor session while not wearing a mask.

On Tuesday the Lewis and Clark County public health officer sent legislative leadership a letter saying her office had received reports from local businesses frustrated with lawmakers not following local and state health rules amid the pandemic.

A similar bill in 2019 passed the Legislature before being vetoed by former Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock.

One recently introduced bill would give Gianforte immediate power to directly appoint state District Court judges and state Supreme Court judges. 

The debate on the Senate floor drew fodder from both sides of the aisle.

A bill to incentivize companies to build new broadband infrastructure was blocked by the governor's veto pen in the 2019 session, although Gov. Greg Gianforte's administration showed support for the proposal Tuesday.

Lawmakers will also seek funding for paid sick leave for legislative staff, some of which have been working remotely through the first two weeks of the session.

Administrative rules came into the spotlight this summer when the state health department wrote rules to ban the sale of flavored vaping products. 

Rep. Fiona Nave, R-Columbus, received a positive test result Monday. Nave has been participating remotely since the session started Jan. 4.

A small group of lawmakers Friday adopted measures that "highly recommend" and "highly encourage" things like mask use and temperature checks in the Montana Capitol, but stopped short of requiring them.

State Rep. David Bedey, a Republican from Hamilton, tested positive and is quarantining away from the Capitol.

In a survey sent out to senators, the majority of Republicans who responded said they would undertake precautionary measures like mask use and distancing.

The vote fell on party lines, with 21 Republicans for the proposal and 13 Democrats against it.

As lawmakers prepare to meet virtually Wednesday to determine how the 2021 legislative session will function in a pandemic, incoming Republican Gov.-elect Greg Gianforte sent leadership a letter outlining the protocols his office plans to take.

The Republicans who hold the majority in the state Legislature on Monday put forward rules that would create a pathway for a hybrid session, but would explicitly not require mask use or distancing measures. The Democrats sharply objected to the proposals which they said were reactive, not proactive, to managing the novel coronavirus in the upcoming Legislature.