The Democrat Candidate for Senate District 40 is Laura Smith, a lawyer in Helena and current representative for House District 79.
Her reason for running is her daughters and legislating with their future in mind.
Key issues Smith wants to be addressed by the next Montana legislature are affordable housing, property taxes, and ensuring government transparency and ethics.
Greg Guthrie is the Republican candidate for SD40. You can learn more about him and his stances here.
Watch our full interview with Smith.
Q: Why are you running for the legislature?
"I like to tell people that my reason for running, both of them are under four feet tall, they are my kids. I feel very deeply about ensuring that we have a Montana where our kids can not just survive, but thrive. I know many parents and many families like me that are concerned about affordability, safety, government accountability. And so my kids and the kids in Montana are the reason that I'm running."
Q: What are three key issues you believe need to be addressed by the next Montana legislature?
"It's a great question. Probably the best question I received this session or this cycle. So I base my priorities on conversations with individuals when I'm knocking on their doors campaigning. Knocked hundreds of doors so far and plan to knock hundreds more. And so the top issues that I am hearing consistently from individuals of every age, not just parents, are affordable housing, property taxes, and they want their government to work. This is something that I've believed in since I served in the first— in my first legislative session in 2023. People want the toxicity out and they want government accountability. So I'm really looking at running some bills related to transparency, government ethics, that sort of thing."
Q: Housing and property taxes are a key issue for many Montanans, what actions if any do you think the legislature should take?
"Oh, yes, I think the legislature should be taking action. We did quite a bit of work last legislative session. I co-sponsored legislation for affordable housing that really made that increase affordable housing for families, seniors, vets. We've got a lot more work to do. I think in the housing arena we need to be focused on more private-public partnerships. We need to be ensuring that we're bolstering these existing programs that are really working around the state. So I think about the multifamily funds through the whole trust fund. I think about the work that they're doing on construction grants and then the whole variety of programs that we really just need to take a close look at, reconfigure them a bit and ensuring that we're really maximizing our ability to increase affordable housing.
I will also say in relation to affordable housing, we have to ensure that the agency that is administering these programs and doing the hard work of getting these funds out is fully funded. This work doesn't happen on its own. It's millions of dollars, and we need to ensure that we're funding the agency that's doing all of this good work."
Q: This fall Montanans will be voting on access to abortion. What do you think the legislature’s role regarding abortion should be following that vote?
"So that vote you're talking about the constitutional initiative, I think is a really critical issue that I have heard on the doors over and over and over again. And I will tell you, it is not just women who are Democrats. I have had individuals when I knock on their door who have told me they're Republicans and these are women close the door behind them to come talk to me on their porch about how important it is to them as women that their daughters and their granddaughters do not have fewer rights to their bodily autonomy than they did. And so my hope is when that passes, that the legislature, which will likely be majority Republican, respects the voice and the will of the people.
This right is in enshrined in our Constitution and in the Supreme Court Armstrong decision, which, as an attorney, I have read because I think it's important to understand that I, as a woman, my daughters and other women in the state have the right to make their own private health care decisions. So, again, to answer your question, the legislature needs to respect the voice of the people."
Q: Another issue impacting Montana families is childcare, are there actions you think the legislature could take to address the issue?
"Yes. Yes is the short answer. And there is no silver bullet. This is legislation that I am very interested both in carrying and championing in the next legislative session. We've got a lot of work to do to ensure that child care is affordable to families, that we are providing quality care to kids. Right. You look at all of the data related to early childhood and it sets the stage not just for that individual's quality of life and what they learn, but their contributions economically, right? And so I think we've got a lot of work to do in terms of affordability. We need to make sure that we are ensuring that we pay these providers and the caregivers enough to both recruit and retain them. And then I think we do need to be looking at innovative solutions... But really been working on what practical bipartisan legislation that we can pass that really supports families.
I will tell you, for me, it all comes down to how do I serve the families and individuals in my district? It's not about party line for me. It's not about some of these sort of wedge politics type things. You take a look. Any day of the week at downtown Helena and elsewhere in Helena, right. All the way across this district, which is huge, by the way. Right. It's got urban and rural areas. You take a look every day. And as parents like me, I've got a seven-year-old and a four-year-old. Parents like me who are wanting to make sure their kids are in a setting that is safe for them, that is high quality and that we can afford and our constituents deserve nothing less than that."
Q: Is there anything else you want to say that we haven't covered so far, or that you think voters should know?
"Yeah, I just would encourage viewers to take a look at your candidates. Figure out the values that align for you. My goals have always been I am your current representative in House District 79. I'm running for the Senate District. That's about the same area and then quite a bit more. And I will tell you, my legislative priorities are being a practical legislator, ensuring that I am committed to bipartisan legislation. And then every single day when I'm in the legislature, ensuring that I am representing the values of our constituents."
