House approves higher pay for legislators
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Prior to the final vote, the House unanimously approved an amendment that would lower the amount of a pay raise they seek and removed the language that would increase their wages in the future without having to vote again.
Speaker of the House Jim Tucker proposed a salary increase to $37,500 from $16,800 with unvouchered expenses at $6,000 a year.
The pay raise now returns to the Senate for consideration of Tucker’s amendment.
The House voted 55 for, 39 against to pass SB672. The bill needed 53 votes to pass.
Senate Bill 672 initially would have tripled legislators’ pay at a time when many lawmakers are clamoring for state government to curb spending. The legislation would have increased legislators annual compensation package to about $70,000 and top legislative leaders to the $100,000 mark.
Opponents erupted in a torrent of phone calls and emails after legislators rushed SB672 through the process with little discussion.
Gov. Bobby Jindal said Wednesday he would not veto the measure. Jindal said he did not want to give legislators a reason to sidetrack the bills he wants passed.
The session comes to an end on June 23.
“This is probably the most politically contentious bill we will all see in our political careers. It's difficult to deal with ones own pay,” Tucker said.
Tucker said there has not been a pay raise for legislators since 1980.
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