Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB448: Establish the Jim Loud Thunder Gopher memorial highway
Status: Signed into law, May 5, 2025
What the bill says
An act establishing the jim loud thunder gopher memorial highway in cascade county; directing the department of transportation to install signs and to include the memorial highway on the next publication of the state map; and providing an immediate effective date.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE JIM LOUD THUNDER GOPHER MEMORIAL HIGHWAY IN CASCADE COUNTY; DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO INSTALL SIGNS AND TO INCLUDE THE MEMORIAL HIGHWAY ON THE NEXT PUBLICATION OF THE STATE MAP; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, Jim Loud Thunder Gopher was born in 1885 in Malta, Montana, a full-blood Ojibwe of the Crane Clan; and WHEREAS, after a period of searching and hardship following the Spanish Flu pandemic, Loud Thunder Gopher moved to Hill 57 outside of Great Falls; and WHEREAS, the Little Shell Tribe had historic homesites on Hill 57 just below Mount Royal. The area is within the tribe's congressionally designated service area pursuant to the Little Shell Restoration Act of 2019; and WHEREAS, Loud Thunder Gopher was a spiritual practitioner of Ojibwe traditional teachings, and he organized ceremonial practices, including the Sun Dance, Midewiwin, shaking tent, sweat lodge, Round Dance, and Give Away ceremonies. As a community organizer, Loud Thunder Gopher promoted voter registration and agricultural employment; and WHEREAS, in 1942 Loud Thunder Gopher was selected as a member of the Landless Indians to travel to Washington, D.C., with Raymond Gray and Packy Myers to advocate for a land base; and WHEREAS, Loud Thunder Gopher died in 1946 in Great Falls and is buried in Highland Cemetery. His descendants are enrolled …
Sponsors
- Weber, Jane (D, 19) · primary sponsor
- Hunter, Gregg (R, 15)
Latest actions
- : Chapter Number Assigned
- : (H) Signed by Governor
- : (H) Transmitted to Governor
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
- : (H) Returned from Enrolling
- : (H) Sent to Enrolling
- : (S) 3rd Reading
- : (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- : (S) 2nd Reading
Votes
- Do Concur (April 14, 2025): 45 yea, 3 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 12, 2025): 46 yea, 4 nay, passed
- Do Pass (February 22, 2025): 79 yea, 19 nay, passed
- Do Pass (February 21, 2025): 82 yea, 16 nay, passed
Subjects: Highways and Roads
Common questions
- What is HB448?
- HB448 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Establish the Jim Loud Thunder Gopher memorial highway.
- What does HB448 do?
- In its own words: An act establishing the jim loud thunder gopher memorial highway in cascade county; directing the department of transportation to install signs and to include the memorial highway on the next publication of the state map; and providing an immediate effective date.
- What is the status of HB448?
- Signed into law as of May 5, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 5, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB448?
- Weber, Jane (D, 19), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB448?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC3335
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.