As of Monday, March 1, 2021, Montana surpasses 100,000 COVID-19 cases, about a tenth of our population. Montana reports 100,003 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 50 new cases reported in the last day: 18 in Flathead County, 9 in Richland County, 6 in Yellowstone County, 3 in Lewis & Clark County, 3 in Missoula County, and more new cases in 5 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,609. Currently, 68 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Yellowstone, Flathead, and Gallatin Counties. 1,357 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 512,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 28,600,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

President Joe Biden has announced that the pharmaceutical company Merck will help manufacture Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot coronavirus vaccine. The agreement could boost supply of the vaccine, which is being delivered to states this week after gaining federal approval for distribution to the public. The deal between the two major pharmaceutical companies was brokered by the Biden administration after officials found out that Johnson & Johnson had fallen behind in the production of its vaccine. The partnership will involve two Merck facilities, one of which will produce the vaccine while the other carries out the last phase of the manufacturing process. Merck had attempted to produce its own vaccine, but announced in late January that it was discontinuing the development of its two candidates after early clinical trial data showed an “inferior” immune response.

The Montana Senate narrowly defeated Monday a bill that would make it illegal for doctors to help terminal patients take their own life. The measure would have opened doctors up to possible homicide charges if they prescribe a lethal dose of medication at the request of their patients. A 2009 state Supreme Court decision protects doctors from prosecution for the practice, though it is not explicitly allowed in state law. The bill failed to advance after senators split 25-25 in the vote, with six Republicans joining all Democrats in opposing the measure. Bill sponsor Republican Sen. Carl Glimm of Kila said that allowing physician-assisted death would send the wrong message to those considering suicide in the state. Montana has one of the highest suicide rates in the U.S.

Surrounded by union members who filled the gallery and packed Capitol hallways in opposition to right-to-work legislation, the Montana House on Tuesday voted down the proposal. The vote was 38-62, with some Republicans joining Democrats in opposition to the bill. House Bill 251 was carried by Rep. Caleb Hinkle, R-Belgrade. It saw strong opposition from union members around the state as it advanced through a committee with opposition from Democrats and some Republicans who hold a majority in the Legislature. The bill would have prohibited the requirement of belonging to a union as a condition of employment. The bill would also bar private-sector unions from requiring non-members covered by bargaining agreements pay union dues. The Janus decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 already made it so unions can’t collect fees for collectively bargaining on behalf of non-member public employees.

The state Senate on Monday before adjourning for the midway point of the session also defeated two bills that would have limited union actions.
Senate Bill 228 from Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, and Senate Bill 89 from Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, proposed changes in light of the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision Janus v. AFSCME. That decision found that public sector unions could not mandate fees to non-union public employees for the purpose of collective bargaining. SB 228, after amendments, would have allowed public sector union members to withdraw from the union twice per year. Hertz said he brought the bill for constituents who were concerned about halting their union dues. The bill saw pushback on the floor from all Democrats and some Republicans. SB 228 died on a tie 25-25 vote. In the floor debate on SB 89, Sen. Brad Molnar, R-Laurel, said he’d asked a fellow Republican why they were bringing this bill. He said his fellow Republican legislator replied, “we’re just poking them.” Molnar said, “I would hope we’d quit poking people and treat them with respect.” SB 89 died on a vote of 22-28.