As of Friday, March 19, 2021, Montana reports 102,768 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 157 new cases reported in the last day: 29 in Missoula County, 22 in Gallatin County, 21 in Ravalli County, 18 in Yellowstone County, 17 in Silver Bow County, 16 in Flathead County, and more new cases in 17 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,033 Currently, 51 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Gallatin, Missoula, and Yellowstone Counties. 1,409 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Three more deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 540,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 29,700,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

More cases of the U.K. variant of coronavirus have been detected in Gallatin County, and other new coronavirus variants are showing up elsewhere in Montana. Gallatin County has seen a total of eight cases of the U.K. variant of the coronavirus. The CDC has identified the U.K. variant as a “variant of concern” because it spreads more easily and may cause more severe illness. A lack of connection between people with coronavirus variant infections indicates the variant may be circulating widely in Gallatin County. 11 other cases have been detected in the state: Beaverhead and Butte-Silver Bow counties each reported a case of a California variant identified as B.1.427. Another California variant, B.1.429, was found in samples from 8 other Montana counties (Cascade, Glacier, Hill, Jefferson, Madison, Phillips, Roosevelt and Valley counties). Cascade County also had a case of a New York variant, B.1.526.

Neckties for men, not COVID-19 relief or budget balancing, were at the center of debate in a House committee on Thursday night — risking another bout of national scrutiny like that in 2015 when the Montana Legislature proposed restrictions on leggings, skirt lengths and necklines for women. More than a month ago, Rep. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell, got so upset about his Democratic colleague Rep. Danny Tenenbaum, D-Missoula, not wearing a tie that he refused to hear his bill and walked out of the committee hearing. Thursday in the House Rules Committee, Skees led a hearing on the same issue with enthusiasm not widely reciprocated by Democrat or Republican lawmakers.
A visibly disengaged Kim Abbott, House Minority Leader, said, “I’m frustrated to be here. It seems to me that this is a pretty big waste of time considering what is happening in this building. “The fact that we are downstairs trying to decide how to invest $2.7 billion into the Montana economy, and everything else we have going on with the state budget coming next week, and we’re here talking about a dress code.” After 45 minutes of discussion, the committee voted on party lines, with Republican support, to consider implementing a proposed 2015 dress code that received criticism for its sexist nature. Republicans said they wanted to cement the tie-wearing expectation in House rules, but by making an issue of requiring ties for men they also brought back what some feel are sexist requirements for women. The proposed code says women “should be sensitive to skirt lengths and necklines” while saying they can wear suits or dresses.