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Bullock Vetoes 12 Other Bills

By Beacon Staff

HELENA — Gov. Steve Bullock has rejected a bill he says would have allowed a way for anonymous political groups to contribute to campaigns through religious groups.

House Bill 217 would have exempted religious organizations from campaign finance reports.

He says the bill would have given so-called “dark money” groups the opportunity to donate to campaigns through churches without any oversight or regulation.

Bullock also vetoed 11 other bills Friday. Another one would have given the Montana Reserved Water Compacts Rights Commission two more years to negotiate water rights with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

The CSKT water compact missed its 2013 deadline when the Legislature failed to ratify it.

Bullock called that water compact a reasonable settlement that provided protections for all water users in Montana.