Montana State Legislature Passes Bill Establishing Indigenous Peoples Day
After a decade of advocacy, a bill establishing Indigenous Peoples Day in Montana has finally passed through the state Legislature. The bill, Senate Bill 224, allows Montanans to celebrate either or both Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Shane Morigeau, focused on inclusivity and celebrating the ancestral lineage of all Montanans. Several non-Native supporters of the bill spoke about how it encouraged them to research their own lineage and connected them to their ancestral stories.
The bill faced a minor hurdle when Rep. Ed Byrne proposed an amendment to list Columbus Day first in the bill’s language, but the amendment was defeated. With overwhelming bipartisan support, the bill is now headed to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk for approval. If signed into law, Montana will join a growing number of states recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day as a state holiday. Native Americans make up 6.7% of Montana’s population, and the state is home to 12 tribal nations and seven reservations. Supporters of the bill see the holiday as a chance to celebrate the resilience and strength of Indigenous people.
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