3-5-211. Salaries and expenses of district court judges. (1) Prior to June 30 of each even-numbered year, the department of administration shall conduct a salary survey of judges of courts of general jurisdiction similar to the Montana district courts for the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho. The department shall include the salary for a Montana district court judge in determining the average salary. If the average salary is greater than the salary for a district court judge in Montana, then beginning July 1 of the year following the year in which the survey is conducted, the average salary is the new salary for that position. A district court judge's salary may not be reduced.
(2) Actual and necessary expenses for each district court judge are the travel expenses, as defined and provided in 2-18-501 through 2-18-503, incurred in the performance of the district court judge's official duties.