Lawmakers shuffle big pieces as deadlines loom

HELENA — The Montana House advanced a pay raise for state employees and endorsed the governor's proposed fix for the beleaguered pension systems as lawmakers eyeing compromise turned their attention to big pieces of legislation.

The lawmakers, with a month left in the session, face deadlines this week and next week to advance bills that spend money or deal with tax revenue. And they continued a trend Wednesday of finding bipartisan support for potential compromises between the GOP-led Legislature and Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock.

"We are trying to work together, reach across the aisle. It is...