NFIB Montana has honored 76 lawmakers with its Guardian of Small Business Award for their support of Main Street enterprises during the 2021 session of the Montana State Legislature.

“We’re proud to honor the lawmakers who honored Main Street with their votes on issues vital to the survival of Montana small businesses,” said Ronda Wiggers, Montana state director for the National Federation of Independent business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small-business-advocacy association. “These are the elected officials who small-business owners can count on in Helena.”

Senators and representatives were scored on seven votes in each chamber taken during the 2021 session of the Legislature. Those voting for the NFIB position 100 percent of the time received a Guardian award, a nationally recognized accomplishment reserved for legislators and congressional representatives who vote consistently with small business on the key issues identified by small-business owners.

Representatives of NFIB recently held receptions at member businesses in Kalispell, Great Falls and Billings to present some of the awards in person. NFIB-member business owners gathered to thank the legislators for their work and discuss the upcoming 2023 legislative session.