Montana lawmakers predict Medicaid expansion will dominate session

Rep. Frank Garner, a retired Kalispell police chief, hopes to buckle up a tougher seat-belt law during the upcoming gathering in Helena of state lawmakers. The Republican’s House Bill 49 would allow law enforcement to pull over a vehicle if one of its occupants is not wearing a seat belt. The fine for not wearing a seat belt would increase from $20 to $45, but a first violation would trigger only a warning.