Senators vote to raise their pay
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State senators voted to triple legislator base salaries Tuesday, although the pay raise is less than initially proposed.
Senate Bill 672 was narrowly approved 20-16 in the Senate very quickly and without discussion.
A bill needs a minimum of 20 “yes” votes to win Senate approval. The measure next heads to the state House of Representatives for action before adjournment on June 23.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Ann Duplessis, D-New Orleans, said she believes it will be “OK” in the House. She said Gov. Bobby Jindal is not taking a position on the bill, but has agreed not to veto the pay raises if they are approved in the lower chamber.
“We just wanted to make sure we’re in the appropriate salary range,” Duplessis said after the bill was approved.
No one debated the measure that would add about $34,000 to their annual pay.
Before the bill’s passage, Sen. Butch Gautreaux, D-Morgan City, distributed a series of “testimonials” from legislators that discussed their financial troubles while dedicating so much time toward public office.
All of the “testimonials” were anonymous.
Jindal’s press secretary, Melissa Sellers, said in an e-mail statement that the governor “strongly disagrees with this pay increase,” but she told The Associated Press that he won’t veto the bill if it reaches his desk.
SB672 links the salaries to an amount equal to 30 percent of the full-time base salaries of U.S. Congress. That currently equates to about $50,700 a year.
State legislators officially work part-time and most have other jobs or own businesses.
Totaling base pay, expenses and per diem, legislators could receive almost $70,000 a year if the legislation is approved. Top legislative officials, such as the Senate president, would receive more.
The salaries would be adjusted annually without fanfare, as members of Congress get raises.
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