Budget Hearings Kick Off Second Half of Session

The Montana House Appropriations Committee opened public testimony last week on House Bill 2, the bill that sets the budget for state agencies.

Some of the most controversial changes come from the subcommittee that deals with the budget for the Department of Public Health and Human Services, which has proposed cutting more than 100 full-time equivalent positions from the agency.

Director of DPHHS Sheila Hogan said the cuts will especially hurt rural areas where it's difficult to find qualified people to do skill-intensive jobs.

"Sure the positions can be cut, but the work remains, and that is...