Issues

DAVE MCALPIN IS EFFECTIVE: No other freshman legislator passed more bills in the 2005 session than Dave (6). In 2007 Dave was elected Minority Whip in the Montana House, the only Missoula Representative elected to House Leadership.  In his four years in the Legislature, Dave has provided key leadership on groundbreaking legislation, like Montana’s new smoke free law and Senator Cocchiarella’s bill to enforce local zoning to protect the character of our neighborhoods.
HE WORKS LONG HOURS DURING THE SESSION AS MINORITY WHIP IN THE HOUSE, BUT WORKS DURING THE INTERIM HERE IN MISSOULA ON CRITICAL ISSUES. Dave has provide leadership in Missoula and Helena after the session:

  • Helped secure “Critical Service Area” designation to keep Mental Health Service Providers in Missoula where they are sorely needed.
  • Pushed back on State when they tried to back out of commitments to help fund the renovation of the Missoula Art Museum.
  • Stuck up for Missoula when the State Health Department wasn’t treating local substance abuse prevention programs fairly in their grant application process.

HE WORKS WITH BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS. In 2007 Dave was the House floor leader who passed a bill to keep Montana physicians taking Medicaid-eligible patients. The only way to do that in a tied house was with support from Dr. Bill Jones, a Bigfork Republican, who agreed that it is important for our Medicaid reimbursements keep up with inflation.

PRIMARY CO-SPONSOR OF HB 643, Montana’s smoke-free law to make our schools and public places in our communities a healthier place for families and hospitality workers.

PASSED TWO BILLS TO DETER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. HB 476 funds court officers to enforce court sentences against perpetrators of domestic violence, and HB577 reimburses health care providers for the cost of forensic rape kits for victims of rape and domestic assault.

CARRIED SB 350 ON THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR SEN. COCCHIARELLA, a bill to enforce neighborhood-zoning standards and protect the character of our neighborhoods. Secured 18 votes from Republicans in a tied House.

HELPED WRITE AND GATHER SIGNATURES FOR I-149 in his work as a health advocate for the American Cancer Society. As a Legislator, Dave voted to implement the initiative that funded a prescription drug program for seniors, and a small-business health insurance pool, one of the most innovative healthcare access policies in the nation.

SPONSORED AND PASSED HB 169 to reform and strengthen enforcement of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, at the request of Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath. This bill allows the Attorney General and Department of Revenue to go after tax cheats avoiding payment of tobacco tax, thus keeping Master Settlement payments coming to Montana.

SPONSORED AND PASSED HB 184 to streamline the administration of local and regional libraries across Montana; at the request of the Montana Library Association.

PASSED HB 226 to guarantee budgetary independence to the Office of County Sheriff in order to fight crime and provide better safety in our communities; at the request of the Montana Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association.

SPONSORED AND PASSED RESOLUTION HJ 17 to urge increased school PE requirements among Montana high school students to prevent the health costs associated with obesity. Adopted by the Montana Board of Public Education, 2006.

FUNDED HB 270/271, the Workforce Training Program that proved to be critical to Direct TV’s decision to bring hundreds of jobs with health and retirement benefits to the Missoula economy.