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House adopts changes to compensation process for legislators after debate over accountability
Summary
HB113 adjusts how legislative compensation recommendations from a commission are implemented; after debate about lawmakers' responsibility to vote on their pay, the House adopted amendments and passed the bill 49–22, referring it to the Senate.
Representative Raymond W. Short presented House Bill 113 to revise the Legislative Compensation Commission process so that commission recommendations become the default unless the Legislature acts to change them. Short said the change was designed to remove legislators from directly voting for their own pay increases while retaining public accountability.
Opponents, including Representative Tanner, argued legislators should retain the responsibility to publicly consider and vote on their compensation. Several amendments were adopted, including language to allow the commission to recommend either a daily or an annual salary and to make recommendations on leadership compensation. Representative Brown moved and secured amendments to expand the commission's recommendation authority for leadership pay.
After discussion and amendments, the House voted to pass HB113 as amended by a recorded vote of 49 yes and 22 no. The bill was referred to the Senate.
