HELENA — In 2023, the Montana Legislature passed a bill that would have increased pay for lawmakers, but Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed it. Now, lawmakers are close to sending another proposal for salary increases to Gianforte’s desk – this time as part of a bill providing raises for thousands of other state workers.
(Watch the video to see the debate over legislative pay increases.)
On Wednesday, the Montana Senate gave initial approval to House Bill 13, the state employee pay plan. It contains a negotiated pay agreement giving most state workers a raise of $1 an hour or 2.5%, whichever is greater.
One section of the bill changes legislative pay starting in the 2027 session – the Montana Constitution says lawmakers can’t change their own compensation during a session.
Sen. John Esp, R-Big Timber, who carried HB 13 on the Senate floor, said lawmakers are currently paid $16.10 an hour. HB 13 would increase legislative salaries to 80% the average hourly wage for all workers in the state – currently around $22 – for the 2027 session. Starting in the 2029 session, pay would rise again to 100% the average wage – currently about $28.
During Wednesday’s debate, Sen. Sue Vinton, R-Billings, proposed an amendment that would have stripped out the legislative pay increase from the bill. Those supporting the change said legislative salaries should be considered separately from other state workers’ pay, and that the people they represent wouldn’t be interested in seeing lawmakers get raises.
“I had no one tell me that I should get paid more for being up here,” said Sen. Forrest Mandeville, R-Columbus. “What if this was a referendum? What if this issue, legislative pay, was on the ballot? How do you think that would go? What do you think the vote would be? If you think it would pass 75-25 – that people want us to come up here and increase our pay – vote against the amendment, vote for the bill.”
Vinton’s amendment failed 12-38, with 10 Republicans and 2 Democrats in support and 22 Republicans and 16 Democrats in opposition.
Supporters of raising legislative pay argued the work lawmakers do is worthy of more compensation, and that the current salary has created a financial barrier that keeps many qualified Montanans from running for the Legislature.
“We leave home, we come up here and we volunteer our time basically to serve the public,” Esp said. “It's getting more difficult to find people that are willing to do that, that aren't retired like I am or have some other job that they can do from both places.”
An open question still remained after the debate: Would Gianforte still veto a pay increase? In introducing her amendment, Vinton read from Gianforte’s 2023 veto letter, where he called “limited compensation” a key feature of Montana’s citizen Legislature.
“The letter that was read – I don't know where that person is on this now, but they may have rethought that,” said Senate Majority Leader Tom McGillvray, who supported the pay increase.
“Maybe the governor has softened his stance,” Vinton said in response. “I guess we'll find out. If this amendment fails and the bill goes forward, we'll find out what he thinks.”
After the amendment failed, there was less debate about the rest of HB 13, which the Senate endorsed 37 to 13, with 19 Republicans and all 18 Democrats in support. If the bill passes on a final vote on the Senate floor Thursday, it will go to Gianforte’s desk.
