Question of the Month
March
2003
What are the annual
salaries for legislators in the 11 Midwestern States?
The compensation
provided to representatives and senators varies significantly. In some
states, lawmakers receive pay commensurate with a full-time position;
in other states, salaries reflect the belief that the state should
operate under a part-time legislature.
The latest CSG
"Book of the States" reports (with the help of data
collected by the National Conference of State Legislatures) that Michigan
lawmakers earn $77,400 a year, the highest amount in the region
and third highest in the country. In contrast, the two-year salary for
South Dakota lawmakers is $12,000.
Mirroring a pattern
seen across the country, highly populated states in the Midwest have
tended to "professionalize" their legislatures more than
smaller states in the region, and this often includes higher
compensation for lawmakers. In 2001, Illinois lawmakers
were paid $55,788 annually, the second highest amount in the region.
The state is followed by Ohio ($51,674), Wisconsin
($44,333), Minnesota ($31,140), Iowa ($20,758),
Nebraska ($12,000) and Indiana ($11,600).
Rather than being paid
an annual salary, legislators in some states are paid based on either
calendar or legislative days. Kansas lawmakers receive $78.75 per
calendar day, while North Dakota legislators are given
$125 per calendar day.
Direct comparisons
between the salaries of legislators in different states can be
somewhat misleading if other factors are not taken into account. For
example, states differ on the allowances provided for daily expenses
and travel.
Variances also exist in
the methods used to set legislative compensation. Legislative salaries
in Nebraska and South Dakota are set by the states’ constitutions.
In some instances, special compensation commissions are used to
determine the pay of state lawmakers. In Illinois, the salaries are
tied to the wages of state and local government workers.
Recent budget problems
have focused more attention on legislative salaries than usual. Some
lawmakers have decided not to accept previously approved pay increases
or called for cuts in salaries.
For
more information on this or any other public policy issue, please call
630-925-1922 or complete the online
form for research services.
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