As of Monday, January 4, 2021, Montana reports 82,664 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 288 new cases reported in the last day: 41 in Ravalli County, 36 in Lewis & Clark County, 31 in Missoula County, 28 in Flathead County, 21 in Jefferson County, and more new cases in 20 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 5,056. Statewide, 3,650 people have been hospitalized, and 191 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Yellowstone, Cascade, Lewis & Clark, and Flathead Counties. 975 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Four more deaths have been reported in the last day. Nationwide, more than 352,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 20,800,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The Montana State Legislature called to order on Monday, kicking off the biennial regular legislative session with increased Republican majorities and for the first time in sixteen years, a Republican governor. Lawmakers quickly approved of rules that will create a panel to address COVID-19 in the Capitol. Leading up to the session, lawmakers clashed along party lines about how the session should convene given the pandemic that’s killed nearly 1,000 Montanans. The rules passed Monday do not include any health protection protocols in the capitol. The COVID panel, which has not yet met, will have broad authority over things like distancing and capacity in meeting rooms, but Democrats have said the panel is reactive, not proactive; in December meetings, Democrats had proposed a delayed start to the session, as well as face masks, physical distancing, limits on room capacity, frequent cleaning, and remote participation, while Republicans have said they will be more effective legislators meeting in person and the panel can address COVID issues as they come up.

In the state House, nearly all 100 lawmakers were sworn in on the House floor. Most Republicans, who hold 67 seats, were not wearing masks, while all Democrats present were masked. There were no additional distancing measures and lawmakers sat in their normal seats in close proximity. In the Senate, about 70% of the 31 Republicans on the floor wore masks. Some Democrats participated remotely via video meeting and some Democrats, all wearing masks, were in the old state Supreme Court chambers to facilitate distancing measures. In opening remarks, Senator Cary Smith, the Republican Senate Majority Leader, ridiculed those participating remotely, saying, “living with the virus does not mean staying in our basement.”

Prior to the opening of the Montana Legislature, two competing rallies took place on the capitol grounds. At the south entrance to the capitol, ralliers stood often in silence and held signs urging those entering to wear masks. On the north side of the capitol, pro-Trump ralliers gathered to oppose public health measures like face masks.

Newly-elected Montana State Auditor Troy Downing, a Republican, invited a friend of his to deliver a controversial invocation at Downing’s swearing-in ceremony Monday at the Capitol. Eric Jacobs, a reverend and electrical contractor from Bozeman, delivered the invocation. Jacobs is an acquaintance of the new state auditor. The invocation began similarly to most ceremonial invocations in welcoming Downing to office and asking for his service to be blessed. The remarks then shifted to make several controversial statements. Jacobs referred to the coronavirus pandemic as “false” and meant to induce fear; called for members of the “deep state” to be arrested, and prayed that the presidential election be overturned based on unfounded claims of election fraud. In his prayer, Jacobs said, “In many states, our ability to cast a vote and know it will be counted has been compromised and stolen. The corruption in our government is rampant and goes from the workers in the street all the way to the Supreme Court.” Jacobs continued, suggesting that votes in swing states be thrown out and that those supposedly responsible for fraud be arrested. “Show us oh God in Heaven how to expose the enemies’ lies and deception and bring their attempt at a coup to take over this nation to an abrupt end and justice being served on all those being deceptive, violent and evil,” Jacobs said. After the ceremony Downing said neither he nor his staff saw the language of the prayer before it was delivered.

The Montana Board of Regents is scheduled to discuss distributing additional COVID-19 funding to campuses during its Tuesday meeting. Regents will approve the allocation of federal and state dollars the university system has received since it last distributed money in the fall. If the spending allocations are approved, Montana State University will receive about $16 million out of the $43 million in COVID-19 funding coming to the university system.