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June 12, 2025
Montana Legislature employees have accrued over 15,000 hours of compensatory time, which exceeds the time they can utilize by taking leave, as per the executive director. The legislative staff, about a hundred full-time employees, face intense work schedules when the state Legislature meets for four months in Helena. Historically, they offset this by taking extended leave during the 20 months between sessions.
However, Executive Director Jerry Howe informed lawmakers that an increasing number of interim legislative committees are affecting employees’ ability to use their vacation time. These committees require full staffing, reducing available time off.
“Let me tell you that the actual number is 15,344 hours,” Howe told the Legislative Council. “So, 2,080 hours per year, per (full-time employee). You’re looking at many years of hours to get the staff back into alignment with their comp time.”
The Legislature in 2023 allocated $325,000 to reduce comp time, spending 80% of it. However, some legislators in 2025 expressed dissatisfaction with the buyout approach. Members of the Legislative Council acknowledged growing demands on staff, noting that the 2025 Legislature requested more bills than any since 1973. This requirement significantly increased the workload, with staff drafting thousands of bills and amendments. Of the 4,495 bill drafts requested in 2025, only 1,759 were introduced.
Howe noted the time taken for drafting bills that never see introduction. The staff also handled 531,000 messages at the Legislature’s information desk.
Lawmakers proposed solutions like limiting amendments and bill requests by freshmen legislators to reduce staff workload. There was also a failed attempt to allocate $300,000 for further comp time buyouts. Ultimately, the council referred all 36 government study requests to interim committees to decide priority.
Waiting for the federal shoe to drop
Montana lawmakers are advised to consider a special session to align state and federal budgets due to changes proposed in U.S. House Resolution 1, or the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” This bill proposes tax cuts and reductions in services like Medicaid and food assistance for low-income Montanans.
Amy Carlson, director of the Legislative Fiscal Division, warned about potential impacts such as a 5% cost shift for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, starting fiscal year 2028. The Senate considers a milder version.
Carlson also highlighted a possible $122 million revenue shortfall due to the linkage of Montana and federal tax laws. A special session could help decouple state taxes from federal policy.
Despite Capitol renovations in 2026 complicating planning, the final months of 2025 are considered suitable for a special session. Provisions were included in the state budget bill, House Bill 2, which waits for Gov. Greg Gianforte’s signature, and House Bill 863, allocating funds for a potential session.
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