There will be blast motions in the House today, Wednesday, March 13, on two pieces of legislation critical to the safety of Montana’s children and youth. A blast attempt is when a motion is made on the floor to take a bill that has been tabled in committee and put it on 2nd reading for the entire chamber to debate. The blasts today will be on the House floor.

Two of the bills are carried by Rep. Ellie Boldman Hill. HB 527 generally revises cyber-bullying laws. It creates the offense of cyberbullying and is targeted at protecting minors.

According to the bill, the offense of cyberbullying results when with the purpose to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, or torment a minor a person builds a fictitious profile or internet website; poses as a minor in an internet chat room, electronic mail message, instant message, or other electronic communication; posts or encourages others to post on the internet private, personal, or sexual information pertaining to a minor; signs a minor up for a pornographic internet website. Read the entire the bill here.

The second bill seeks to eliminate license exemption for certain private adolescent treatment programs. The bill is in response to abuses at the Pinehaven Christian Children’s’ Ranch in western Montana. (See coverage on the abuses and the legislation on CNN, Anderson Cooper, here.) Pinehaven is unaccredited and unlicensed. Former staff and students have reported that students were choked and dragged. During the hearing on HB 236, the Montana Family Foundation, a conservative lobbying organization, testified against the bill and the committee Republicans fell into line. The bill died on a party line vote.

Both of these bills are critical to the safety of children and youths. Both were tabled by Republican majorities. Blast motions are coming.

Do you want to see these bills blasted out of committee today? You can find your legislator contact information here.