Montanans, Your Land is Your Land

Helena, MT - No more worrying about a government condemning private property in Montana and handing it over to Wal-Mart. Governor Schweitzer is signing a bill today (Thursday) that guarantees big companies can't leverage government power to seize private property for private gain. It's in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling two years ago that allowed such moves, and in response to a failed ballot initiative that would have gone beyond "eminent domain" and erased local land use laws. Comments from bill sponsor Sen. Dave Lewis (R-Helena), and Janet Ellis with the Montana Audubon Society.

A man's home is his castle in Montana, and now Montanans can be sure their castle can't be torn down against their will to make way for a big business project. Governor Schweitzer is signing an eminent domain law today (Thursday) that closes loopholes that may have allowed private property to be handed over to companies. Republican Senator Dave Lewis backed the bill...

"The horror story that everybody worries about is some government taking your property and using it to build a Wal-Mart - now with this bill, we can be sure that that won't happen in Montana."

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling two years ago set a precedent that could have paved the way for private property to be seized and given to businesses. While many bills faced bitter debate this year, this one received near-unanimous support.

****
Janet Ellis with the Montana Audubon Society says the new law also clears up some confusion with a failed ballot initiative that dealt not just with eminent domain, but with erasing local land-use laws...

"What we committed to doing when we heard about the ballot initiative is to make sure the eminent domain portion of that issue got addressed at the Montana Legislature."

Editor's Note:  Governor Schweitzer is signing SB363 at noon, Statehouse steps. Janet Ellis is at 406-443-3949.