Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Staff Holiday topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears bill to remove Election Day as mandated legislative staff holiday
Summary
Senator Derek Harvey presented SB 87 to remove Election Day from the list of legislative staff holidays and convert it to a floating holiday; sponsor said the change would ease staffing pressures in busy months and align legislative practice with executive branch policies.
HELENA — Senator Derek Harvey, R‑Butte, told the Legislative Administration Committee on March 1 that Senate Bill 87 would remove Election Day from the statutory list of holidays for legislative staff and convert it to a floating holiday that employees may use at another time with supervisor approval.
"My goal with this bill is to get you guys to lunch," Senator Derek Harvey said at the hearing, describing the change as a practical measure to reduce staff comp‑time during busy fall months.
Harvey said the floating holiday would be subject to supervisor approval and modeled on executive‑branch practice; staff witnesses confirmed that current statute lists executive‑branch employees under the holiday definition and that aligning legislative policy with executive practice would create parity. Committee staff and Mr. Silva (legislative human resources) said the change would let staff use the time during less busy periods and that routine interim committee meetings would still be handled per the bill’s formula.
Senator Flowers offered an amendment to the bill to clarify that certain nonroutine travel (for example, National Conference of State Legislatures events and similar out‑of‑state travel) would remain subject to traditional per‑diem and reimbursement procedures rather than the floating‑holiday formula. Flowers described the amendment as distinguishing routine interim committee work from exceptional travel and per‑diem claims; Ms. Carter (staff) was listed as prepared to address technical questions.
Committee members questioned whether the statutory language covers executive‑branch employees statewide and whether the change would create parity between branches. Representative Perry asked whether the amendment would cause operational difficulties; staff replied the intent was parity with executive‑branch human resources practice.
The sponsor urged a "do pass" recommendation. The committee did not take a recorded roll‑call vote at the hearing; the chair said the panel planned "to pass consideration EA on our 2 bills" and to take executive action at a later meeting.
Why it matters: SB 87 would change the way legislative employees receive time off for Election Day, potentially reducing comp‑time accumulation and aligning legislative holiday practice with the executive branch. The amendment limits changes for nonroutine travel and out‑of‑state events.
