2-18-303. Procedures for administering broadband pay plan.

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2-18-303 . Procedures for administering broadband pay plan.

(1)On the first day of the first complete pay period in fiscal year 2026, each employee is entitled to the amount of the employee's base salary as it was on June 30, 2025.

(2)To the extent that the plan applies to employees within a collective bargaining unit, the implementation of the plan is a negotiable subject under 39-31-305 .

(3)Effective on the first day of the first complete pay period that includes July 1, 2025, the base salary of each employee must be increased by $1.00 an hour or by 2.5%, whichever is greater. Effective on the first day of the first complete pay period that includes July 1, 2026, the base salary of each employee must be increased by $1.00 an hour or by 2.5%, whichever is greater.

(i)A member of a bargaining unit may not receive the pay adjustment provided for in subsection

(3)until the employer's collective bargaining representative receives written notice that the employee's collective bargaining unit has ratified a collective bargaining agreement.

(ii)If ratification of a collective bargaining agreement, as required by subsection (4)(a)(i), is not completed by the date on which a legislatively authorized pay increase is implemented, members of the bargaining unit must continue to receive the compensation that they were receiving until an agreement is ratified.

(b)Methods of administration consistent with the purpose of this part and necessary to properly implement the pay adjustments provided for in this section may be provided for in collective bargaining agreements.

(a)Montana highway patrol officer base salaries must be established through the broadband pay plan. Before January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the department shall, after seeking the advice of the Montana highway patrol, conduct a salary survey to be used in establishing the base salary for existing and entry-level highway patrol officer positions. The county sheriff's offices and the city police departments located within the county seats of the following consolidated governments and counties are the labor market for purposes of the survey: Butte-Silver Bow, Cascade, Yellowstone, Missoula, Lewis and Clark, Gallatin, Flathead, and Dawson. The base salary for existing and entry-level highway patrol officer positions must then be determined by the department of justice, using the results of the salary survey and the department of justice pay plan guidelines. Base or biennial salary increases under this subsection are exclusive of and not in addition to any increases otherwise awarded to other state employees after July 1, 2006.

(b)To the extent that the plan applies to employees within a collective bargaining unit, the implementation of the plan is a negotiable subject under 39-31-305 .

(c)The department of justice shall submit the salary survey to the office of budget and program planning as a part of the information required by 17-7-111 .

(d)The salary survey and plan must be completed at least 6 months before the start of each regular legislative session.