A proposal for Montana to observe Indigenous Peoples Day as a state holiday instead of Columbus Day failed Monday in a state Senate committee. House Bill 219, carried by Rep. Shane Morigeau, D-Missoula, cleared the House by a 27-vote margin in February but fell 5-3 in the Senate State Administration Committee.
If passed, the bill would have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day on Montana's list of state-observed holidays. Monday's vote strictly followed party lines, with two Republican votes to table cast by proxy. Morigeau said Tuesday the bill’s tabling both was and wasn’t surprising, given the bipartisan support it received in the House — but also the Senate committee’s reputation.
