Mining Royalties

Missoulian: GAO report shows royalties from hard-rock miningcould generate billions for U.S., if collected  

 MineralVolume, Value, and Revenue

“In summary, there were nearly 70 different types of leasable minerals extracted from federal lands and waters in fiscal years 2010 and 2011, but their volume cannot be aggregated because they use different units of measure. For example, the volumes of the four most valuable of these minerals--oil, gas, natural gas liquids, and coal--are measured in barrels, million cubic feet (mcf), gallons, and tons, respectively. According to ONRR data, the total value of all leasable minerals extracted from federal and Indian land and sold in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 was $92.3 billion and $98.6 billion, respectively.”

MT Supreme Court / Privacy Protection

Missoulian: Montana Supreme Court sides with Heron B&B owners in nasty dispute with neighbors 

Kaestner et al v. Masten and Amber Bear Farm

“After the various parties acquired their parcels of property, their relationship went from cordial to contentious. Mastens were unsure whether Kaestner and Hernandez had legitimate water rights and Mastens claim the men would not provide proof of such rights. In fact, Mastens’ attorney subsequently concluded Kaestner and Hernandez did not have water rights and deemed them trespassers. The relationship worsened and ultimately became dangerous in April 2010 when Mike Masten accused Kaestner and Cesar of unlawful trespassing. Masten aimed and discharged a rifle near the men and  told them to get off his land.”

Missoulian: Senate legislation targets cyberstalking software 

S.1223  Location Privacy Protection Act of 2011 

“Location Privacy Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit a nongovernmental individual or entity engaged in the business of offering or providing a service to electronic communications devices from knowingly collecting, obtaining, or disclosing to a nongovernmental individual or entity geolocation information from an electronic communications device without the express authorization of the individual using the device.”

Wyoming Search and Rescue

Missoulian: Wyoming bill would help counties with claims forsearch and rescue costs 

HB 35, Search and rescue operations.

“(d) Any county sheriff's office in this state may

3 file a claim in a court of competent jurisdiction against a

4 person who is the subject of a search and rescue operation

5 for reimbursement of costs directly incurred in the

6 performance of search and rescue activities. To the extent

7 a county sheriff’s office obtains judgment and collects

8 reimbursement from the person, the office shall return to

9 the office of homeland security any payments authorized

10 from the search and rescue account for that operation.”

Certain state services denied to illegal aliens

Missoulian: Groups, Missoula woman sue overproof-of-citizenship law

The Bill- HB 638 

Montana Code Annotated 1-1-411. Certain state services denied to illegal aliens

(1) To the extent allowed by federal law and the Montana constitution and notwithstanding any other state law, a state agency may not provide a state service to an illegal alien and shall comply with the requirements of this section.
     (2) To determine whether an applicant for a state service is an illegal alien, the agency may use the systematic alien verification for entitlements program provided by the United States department of homeland security or any other lawful method of making the determination.
     (3) A state agency shall notify appropriate personnel in immigration and customs enforcement under the United States department of homeland security or its successor of any illegal alien applying for a state service.
     (4) An agency shall require a person seeking a state service to provide proof of United States citizenship or legal alien status.
     (5) A state agency shall execute any written agreement required by federal law to implement this section.
     (6) As used in this section, the following definitions apply:
     (a) "Agency" means a department, board, commission, committee, authority, or office of the legislative or executive branches of state government, including a unit of the Montana university system.
     (b) "Illegal alien" means an individual who is not a citizen of the United States and who has unlawfully entered or remains unlawfully in the United States.
     (c) "State service" means a payment of money, the grant of a state license or permit, or the provision of another valuable item or service under any of the following programs and provisions of law:
     (i) employment with a state agency;
     (ii) qualification as a student in the university system for the purposes of a public education, as provided in 20-25-502;
     (iii) student financial assistance, as provided in Title 20, chapter 26;
     (iv) issuance of a state license or permit to practice a trade or profession, as provided in Title 37;
     (v) unemployment insurance benefits, as provided in Title 39, chapter 51;
     (vi) vocational rehabilitation, as provided in Title 53, chapter 7;  
     (vii) services for victims of crime, as provided in Title 53, chapter 9;
     (viii) services for the physically disabled, as provided in Title 53, chapter 19, parts 3 and 4;
     (ix) a grant, as provided in Title 90.