A citizens committee in Idaho has unanimously recommended increasing the pay of Idaho legislators from $19,913 to $25,000 per year - a roughly 25% hike. Based on some of the reactions, you'd think lawmakers won the lottery.
The nearly $5,000 hike means, collectively, Idaho would be spending about $525,000 more on legislative salaries. This represents .00009% of the state's general fund revenues in 2024.
Whether these numbers are too high or too low is up to citizens, and ultimately Idaho's citizen-lawmakers, to decide. The state Senate and House could ultimately reject or reduce the proposal.
It's worth considering how the states compare when it comes to legislative salaries. Idaho's current legislative salary is higher than in Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, South Dakota, South Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Rhode Island.
New Hampshire, notably, pays legislators just $100 in salary. New Mexico doesn't pay its lawmakers a dime of salary (though they do receive mileage and a travel stipend during session).
Idaho ranks below most other states and even U.S. territories, including Guam and American Samoa.
State legislator pay in some states depends on the number of days lawmakers are in session.
Here's the current breakdown of base legislative salaries across the country:
Alabama | $53,913 |
Alaska | $50,400 |
American Samoa | $25,000 |
Arizona | $24,000 |
Arkansas | $44,356 |
California | $122,694 |
Colorado | $41,449 |
Connecticut | $40,000 |
Delaware | $49,202 |
Florida | $29,697 |
Georgia | $23,341 |
Guam | $54,080 |
Hawaii | $72,348 |
Idaho | $19,913 |
Illinois | $85,000 |
Indiana | $29,749 |
Iowa | $25,000 |
Kansas | $87 per day during session |
Kentucky | $188 per day during session |
Louisiana | $16,800 |
Maine | $16,245, first session, $11,668 second session |
Maryland | $52,343 |
Massachusetts | $73,655 |
Michigan | $71,685 |
Minnesota | $51,750 |
Mississippi | $23,500 |
Missouri | $37,711 |
Montana | $105 per day during session |
Nebraska | $12,000 |
Nevada | $130 per day during session |
New Hampshire | $100 |
New Jersey | $49,000 |
New Mexico | No salary |
New York | $142,000 |
North Carolina | $13,951 |
North Dakota | $592 per month |
Northern Mariana Islands | $32,000 |
Ohio | $69,876 |
Oklahoma | $47,500 |
Oregon | $35,052 |
Pennsylvania | $102,844 |
Rhode Island | $17,626 |
South Carolina | $10,400 |
South Dakota | $14,779 |
Tennessee | $28,406 |
Texas | $7,200 |
Utah | $294 per day during session |
Vermont | $811 per week |
Virginia | $17,640 |
Washington | $57,876 |
West Virginia | $20,000 |
Wisconsin | $57,408 |
Wyoming | $150 per day during session |
Is $25,000 for Idaho lawmakers too high or too low? We'll soon know what legislators and their constituents decide.