Eight legislative sessions ago, when I first walked into the Capitol building, I was so excited and anxious to get started. That’s because as a young girl, I watched as my father became a citizen of the United States. Never in my life have I ever met anyone who was prouder to have gained citizenship than my father; in fact, one of his favorite things to read was the United States Constitution. Walking beneath the dome that first time, I stopped, looked up, and said, “Hey dad, we made it.”
I have had the opportunity to serve with three governors, two Democrats and one Republican. I’ve served on House Judiciary, House and Senate Fish and Game, and House and Senate Education. I enjoyed serving on each of these committees, though, House and Senate Education is where I feel I made the most impact by bringing my passion as a teacher. I’ve had the opportunity to carry many bills; some were my own, some were constituent bills, and some were bills I worked with members of both parties to bring forward. Suicide prevention training, mobile crisis unit and the health insurance trust for schools are great examples of working with both sides of the aisle.
The 68th Legislative session is the last one for me, and it was very different from previous sessions. My colleagues and I, as Senate Democrats, worked tirelessly for working Montanans. We accomplished some good work in the budget, from expanding access to critical health care services by increasing Medicaid provider rates, to removing lead from drinking water in our schools. A bipartisan bill that I worked on for two years to give Montana’s teachers and school employees’ better health insurance made it across the finish line in the Legislature, and is now on its way to the Governor’s desk.
