PSC Welcomes Newly Appointed Commissioner Bushman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 26, 2026

HELENA, Mont. — Governor Greg Gianforte today announced the temporary appointment of Kirk Bushman of Billings to serve as Commissioner for District 2 on the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC), effective immediately. Bushman fills the vacancy created by Commissioner Brad Molnar's one-year suspension from office, returning the Commission to its full five-member complement. Under the authority granted by MCA 69-1-113, Bushman's temporary appointment runs through July 8, 2027.

Bushman was one of five applicants the Governor's office considered for the District 2 vacancy; District 2 covers Carbon, Park, and Stillwater counties and portions of Big Horn, Gallatin, Rosebud, Sweet Grass, and Yellowstone counties. The Governor's office opened applications on July 21, closed them August 5, and ran a public comment period from August 6 through August 20 before making today's appointment. The Governor's full announcement is available here.

Onboarding and Commission Operations

The Commission looks forward to welcoming Commissioner Kirk Bushman onboard and is glad to have the experience he brings to the table. “I’m pleased the governor selected a replacement commissioner with prior commission experience – and an engineer at that. I expect he will be able to hit the ground running and tackle the heavy caseload with both grace and proficiency,” said PSC Vice President Jennifer Fielder.

Effective immediately, Commissioner Bushman holds the full rights and responsibilities of a sitting Commissioner, including full participation in all votes. Staff will assist Commissioner Bushman in accessing all the materials and provide briefings to bring him up to speed on all the open dockets. The Commission's next scheduled action is set for September 8. Fielder added, “We anticipate keeping the dockets moving forward on schedule, but if Commissioner Bushman needs a little extra time to prepare for any particular matter, I’m sure the Commission and our staff will accommodate him.”

Onboarding a new Commissioner is a routine part of Commission operations that typically occurs every two years. Bushman's onboarding, which will begin Monday, will follow that same process with regular HR procedures, a full orientation from each of the Commission's divisions, and initial training on the agency’s technology platforms and internal protocols.

The Commission thanks the governor for conducting an open search and acting decisively to fill the vacancy. We look forward to resuming our full docket workload with a complete five-member Commission.

About the Montana Public Service Commission

The Commission regulates private investor-owned natural gas, electric, telephone, water, and swer companies, certain motor carriers, and oversees natural gas pipeline safety and intrastate railroad safety. The Commission works to ensure that Montanans receive safe and reliable service from regulated public utilities while paying reasonable rates. For more information, visit www.psc.mt.gov or contact the Commission at 1-800-646-6150. Follow the Commission at www.Twitter.com/MT_PSC or visit www.FaceBook.com/MontanaPSC

Contact:

Montana Public Service Commission

1701 Prospect Ave, Helena, MT 59620-2601

(406) 444-6199  |  pschelp@mt.gov  |  www.psc.mt.gov