House panel tables negotiated state employee pay plan

HELENA (AP) – Raises for Montana state employees are up in the air after a House panel tabled a bill aiming to give pay and insurance increases starting in 2016.

The Republican-led House Appropriations Committee voted 11-9 on Friday to table House Bill 13.

Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock’s administration reached an employee pay agreement with the three major state employee unions in November. Under the bill, state employees would receive 50 cents more an hour in October 2016 and again in October 2017.

The state also would increase its contribution toward state employee insurance costs by 10 percent in January 2016 and by another 8 percent in January 2017.

State employees showed up at the Capitol on Friday afternoon, saying they hope the measure gets blasted to the floor for a vote.