Panel approves bill tripling legislative pay
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A pay raise that would triple the base salaries of state legislators was approved Monday by the Senate Finance Committee without opposition.
The amended Senate Bill 672 links the salaries to an amount equal to 30 percent of the full-time base salaries of U.S. Congress.
Currently, legislators receive a $16,800 annual base salary, a $6,000 expense allowance and a daily per diem payment of $143 for every day they are in session or in committee.
Totaled, legislators can make from more than $35,000 a year to more than $50,000 annually for what is officially a part-time job, not counting other perks.
If the legislation is approved, legislators could receive close to $80,000 a year in all.
The legislation, which next heads to the Senate floor, would cost the state nearly $45 million over five years, according to the fiscal note.
The bill by state Sen. Ann Duplessis, D-New Orleans, would raise the base salaries to 30 percent of what members of the U.S. Congress receive, or about $50,700 per year initially, plus a $12,000 annual expense allowance. The per diem would stay the same.
The salaries would be adjusted annually, as members of Congress get raises.
Duplessis said the state can afford the raises because of $462 million in “significantly higher” extra state surplus revenue announced last week. The Senate Finance Committee was waiting on the surplus numbers before voting on the pay raise.
Still, the House Appropriations Committee cut about $120 million mostly in higher education and health care on Sunday from Gov. Bobby Jindal’s proposed operating budget.
Baton Rouge lobbyist Randy Haynie spoke out on behalf of the pay raises Monday.
“I do not believe the public is aware of the hours you put in as public servants,” Haynie told the committee members.
Because the bill was discussed last week before being delayed, there was very little additional discussion on Monday.
Finance Committee Chairman Mike Michot, R-Lafayette, said he was undecided on the issue. But he said it at least deserves to be debated by the full Senate.
The amended Senate Bill 672 links the salaries to an amount equal to 30 percent of the full-time base salaries of U.S. Congress.
Currently, legislators receive a $16,800 annual base salary, a $6,000 expense allowance and a daily per diem payment of $143 for every day they are in session or in committee.
Totaled, legislators can make from more than $35,000 a year to more than $50,000 annually for what is officially a part-time job, not counting other perks.
If the legislation is approved, legislators could receive close to $80,000 a year in all.
The legislation, which next heads to the Senate floor, would cost the state nearly $45 million over five years, according to the fiscal note.
The bill by state Sen. Ann Duplessis, D-New Orleans, would raise the base salaries to 30 percent of what members of the U.S. Congress receive, or about $50,700 per year initially, plus a $12,000 annual expense allowance. The per diem would stay the same.
The salaries would be adjusted annually, as members of Congress get raises.
Duplessis said the state can afford the raises because of $462 million in “significantly higher” extra state surplus revenue announced last week. The Senate Finance Committee was waiting on the surplus numbers before voting on the pay raise.
Still, the House Appropriations Committee cut about $120 million mostly in higher education and health care on Sunday from Gov. Bobby Jindal’s proposed operating budget.
Baton Rouge lobbyist Randy Haynie spoke out on behalf of the pay raises Monday.
“I do not believe the public is aware of the hours you put in as public servants,” Haynie told the committee members.
Because the bill was discussed last week before being delayed, there was very little additional discussion on Monday.
Finance Committee Chairman Mike Michot, R-Lafayette, said he was undecided on the issue. But he said it at least deserves to be debated by the full Senate.
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