Tonight on Capitol Talk: Big bills that passed, and ones that didn't; the split in the Republican party — and its consequences; Gov. Bullock's pending big announcement; and Attorney General Tim Fox's fondness for chicken.

The Montana Legislature adjourned Thursday, sending a $10 billion state budget to Gov. Steve Bullock’s desk. Republican and Democratic leaders say their parties each picked up political wins and loses. The two Republican Majority leaders in the House and Senate struck different tones in their final messages of the 2019 legislative session.

A Montana legislative committee rejected efforts to include funding for preschool in the state budget over the next two years. That, and another vote, effectively ended the state's preschool pilot program that lawmakers passed in 2017.

The Montana Legislature is in a holding pattern entering the final days of the session as behind the scenes deals are being worked out in rooms at the state Capitol. Lawmakers are attempting to advance politically contentious policies over preschool funding and the future of Colstrip as time in the 2019 legislative session runs out.

HELENA — After being originally tabled, but then revived by the entire House of Representatives, the Montana Museums Act passed out of committee Wednesday. Senate Bill 338 would increase the state bed tax from three to four percent to pay for a new location for the Montana Historical Society, which the agency has been asking for for about 15 years. The bill would also use the increased tax revenue to build and maintain infrastructure for other museums and historical sites across Montana.

A 1 cent per gallon tax increase on airplane fuel has passed the Montana Legislature and is headed to the governor’s desk. House Bill 661 raises the Montana’s aviation fuel tax from 4 cents per gallon to 5 cents per gallon to fund grants for rural airport maintenance, like paving runways and taxiways and installing airport beacons.

A new tax on airplane fuel is nearing a final vote in the Montana Legislature. In recent weeks a trade group for major airlines has fought against the bill in a social media campaign. Montana lawmakers advanced House Bill 661 Tuesday on a 74-26 vote, approving amendments made by the Senate.

Last week Montana’s Republican Sen. Steve Daines hosted a roundtable in Missoula to talk with police and prosecutors about the devastating toll methamphetamine is taking on western Montana. The event also offered a revealing look at the business end of the meth trade.

Tonight on Capitol Talk : It was hard-fought, but Medicaid expansion will continue in Montana, and Gov. Bullock is celebrating the big legislative win. Moderate Republicans once again tipped the scales on Medicaid and other big items. Greg Gianforte appears ready to leave Congress, giving Democrats a glimmer of hope of retaking the seat. The Legislature is ready to wrap up after the Easter break.

Republican U.S. Senator Steve Daines says Montana Attorney General Tim Fox is effectively handling the state’s methamphetamine crisis, but that doesn’t mean Daines will be endorsing him in the 2020 governor’s race.