CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Citizens Legislative Compensation Commission is recommending state lawmakers receive a $10,000 pay raise.
The commission, which meets every four years as spelled out in the state Constitution, recently passed a resolution recommending lawmakers annual pay be increased to equal the per capita income in West Virginia. Commission Chairman Mike Hall, a former state lawmaker, told MetroNews that’s about $30,000.
“In a collaboration by others and the legislature, the legislature expressed an interest in tying their income to some sort of standard,” Hall said. “So the one standard they liked was per capita income which is a little over $30,000 this year.”
Lawmakers are currently paid $20,000 a year. They haven’t received a pay raise since 2009. The Constitution provides that if lawmakers approve a pay increase it does not go into effect until the next legislature is elected. If lawmakers approve an increase in this session, the pay raise wouldn’t take effect until January 2025 after the next legislature is sworn-in.
Hall said the compensation commission is recommending the rate of pay adjust every five years based on the per capita pay.
He said it’s been 13 years since salaries were increased and costs have gone up.
“I don’t think it’s egregious but I don’t know what they’ll do,” Hall said.
The next step is totally up to the legislature. Members of the House and Senate don’t have to act on the recommendations. They can also pick and choose which ones they want to adopt. The recommendations are good until the next time the compensation committee meets in four years.
House and Senate leaders aren’t yet tipping their hands on what they might do.
“The Commission made some interesting recommendations, usually they provide us with numbers, but these suggestions are a little bit of a different format for us to consider,” House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, told MetroNews. “It’s something we’ll have to discuss with the members, which we have not yet begun to do.”
The leadership in the Senate held off on commenting on the recommendations when MetroNews reached out. They may say something when the bill is introduced and/or the finance committee discusses the resolution.
Hall predicted lawmakers would be sensitive to what the public thinks about a pay raises for themselves.
“This is a part-time legislature and this is the type of issue that garners the public interest. They will be cognizant of that,” Hall predicted.
The compensation commission is also recommending increases in per diem rates for some lawmakers. Those who live more than 50 miles away from the capitol would receive $200 a day. That has been $131 a day. The rate stays at $85 a day for those from areas closer to Charleston.
Pay for monthly interim meetings would increase from $150 to $250 a day and lawmakers would be paid for all interim days not just the days when they have meetings scheduled.
The commission approved its resolution on Jan. 23.