Legislature slams door on pay raise proposal

Democratic legislation filed in the Senate and House to potentially raise pay for members was a non-starter this year.

SB 1530 from Sen. Tracie Davis and HB 1183 from Rep. Bruce Antone would have compelled the state’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) to conduct research, analyze data, and prepare a report on the issue.

But the bill did not get committee hearings in either chamber of the Legislature, meaning that pay will remain $29,694 per year, plus per diem expenses.

If the bill had passed, OPPAGA would have been compelled to “submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1, 2023, a report containing its findings and recommendations on whether the Legislature should be considered full time, part time, or a hybrid thereof, and whether salary increases for the members of the Legislature are appropriate.”

The bill sought a report comparing Florida legislative pay to the pay for legislative bodies in other states, as well as an indication of how many days each legislature meets to “conduct official business.” The same data was requested for County Commissions, City Councils and School Boards as well.

Sponsors also sought an OPPAGA report on per diem compensation across the 50 states.

“At a minimum, the recommendations in the report must consider: The appropriateness of increasing the salaries of the members of the Legislature. If OPPAGA concludes that the Legislature should increase the salaries of its members, OPPAGA must provide recommendations on when and how the Legislature should implement such changes,” the bill read.

Sponsors also wanted to know “whether the Legislature should become a full-time or hybrid Legislature, or remain a part-time Legislature.”

“If OPPAGA concludes that the Legislature should become a full-time or hybrid Legislature, OPPAGA must provide recommendations on when and how the Legislature should implement changes.”

Upon filing the bill, Davis painted the measure as advancing access and equity.

“With inflation, home prices, and other cost-of-living issues, the Legislature is not accessible to people of various income levels and that could be a deterrent if they want to run for office, but have to prioritize putting food on the table. This bill is a request for a comparative study of legislative salaries to see if Florida is in a good place compared to the other 49 states,” Davis told Florida Politics.