HELENA – In response to the guilty verdict in the trial of Jason Allen Miller, who ran over Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Lewis Johnson in February 2023, Attorney General Austin Knudsen issued a statement reiterating the state's stance on violence against law enforcement officers. Knudsen stated, “We will not tolerate violence against law enforcement officers in Montana. Justice has been served, and the perpetrator will be held to account for his heinous actions last year.”Trooper Johnson, an officer with the Highway Patrol for eight years, was injured in the line of...
Apr 18 2024BOZEMAN – Attorney General Austin Knudsen, accompanied by over 100 participants including law enforcement officials, criminal prosecutors, advocacy groups, public health officials, and private industry leaders, convened in Bozeman today to address the ongoing battle against human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in Montana. The gathering marked the fourth anti-human trafficking symposium hosted by Attorney General Knudsen, focusing on key strategies to combat the issue."Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and I remain committed...
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with a coalition of 15 attorneys general, has called upon Bank of America to address its debanking practices, citing discriminatory behavior towards conservative and religious individuals.In a unified effort, the attorneys general have sent a letter to Bank of America’s chairman and CEO, requesting the bank to take necessary actions to rectify its debanking policies. They urge the financial institution to provide a detailed report on its account policies and practices, revise its terms of service to ensure no...
HELENA – A Hill County man pleaded guilty Monday in Hill County District Court to one count of incest and one count of sexual abuse of children, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today.William Ramirez, 41, admitted to law enforcement in December 2021 that he was sending sexually explicit messages and photos of himself to a 15-year-old girl who lived out-of-state. During the investigation, officers also discovered that Ramirez was inappropriately touching the girl around 2018 and 2019 before she eventually moved out of Montana. At one time, the girl also found a...
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has called upon the Montana Board of Land Commissioners to address the issue of private water rights at their upcoming meeting. Knudsen's request stems from concerns raised by farmers and ranchers regarding the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's (DNRC) decisions affecting private water rights on public land leased from the state.During a recent Land Board meeting, Attorney General Knudsen and other commissioners listened to the grievances of farmers and ranchers impacted by the DNRC's actions....
The VA’s Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loans in Montana for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024 averaged $401,860, according to figures provided by the Veterans Affairs Home Loans Index.
The average VA Purchase Loan amount for Montana in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024 was $398,729, according to figures provided by the Veterans Affairs Home Loans Index.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued 352 home loans totaling $138.8 million in Montana during the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024, according to figures provided by the Veterans Affairs Home Loans Index.
A Mineral County man, Bradley Thomas Evans, 65, has been found guilty of one count of incest and one count of sexual assault on a minor. The verdict was delivered following a jury trial in Mineral County District Court, as announced by Attorney General Austin Knudsen.According to reports, Evans was convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls between January 2017 and September 2019. The incidents took place at his home in Superior, where Evans inappropriately touched the girls, with one of them being younger than 12 and the other younger than 16.The investigation...
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division, organized a Family Summit in Billings to address the drug overdose epidemic impacting the state. The summit brought together over a dozen families from various parts of Montana to engage with local, state, and federal officials on combating the drug crisis."I’m thankful to the families who shared their stories today. I will continue to do everything I can as attorney general to combat the drug crisis in Montana for the parents, siblings,...
The third quarter of 2023 brought in $481 million in individual income tax revenue for Montana, a 36.5% decrease from the second quarter of 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Quarterly Summary of State and Local Taxes.
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen today led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in support of states attempting to stop the Biden administration’s collusion with activists. The coalition's amicus brief was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, backing states like Kansas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and West Virginia in their efforts to intervene in a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s “Circumvention of Lawful Pathways” rule.Attorney General Knudsen expressed his concerns, stating,...
Attorney General Austin Knudsen has appointed Kurt Sager as the new colonel and head of the Montana Highway Patrol. Sager, who previously served as lieutenant colonel with 21 years of experience within the agency, has been praised by Knudsen for his leadership qualities. Knudsen expressed confidence in Sager's abilities to tackle the public safety challenges facing Montana and looks forward to collaborating with him to serve and protect the people of the state.In response to his appointment, Colonel Sager expressed gratitude towards Attorney General Knudsen for entrusting...
As of March 2024, Montana experienced a 21.6% increase in prices of goods and services since January 2021, compared to the nationwide trend of a 19.4% increase.
The average VA home loan amount in Montana during the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024 was $394,356, according to the Veterans Affairs Home Loans Index.
Montana collected $97 million in license taxes during the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Quarterly Summary of State and Local Taxes.