Insurance Commissioner, State Auditor will see a $60,000 increase after the next election cycle, the largest of the lot.
Last week, Governor Tate Reeves made his way through the last grouping of bills to be approved or vetoed from the 2022 Legislative session.
Original docket reports showed only one bill went into law without his signature. However, as of Tuesday morning, the state’s legislative site showed another bill that passed without his John Hancock.
HB 1426 went into law without the signature of Governor Reeves, a procedural move that relieves the Governor from signing every bill that becomes law.
That bill gives pay raises to all statewide elected officials, including the office of the Governor, after the next statewide election. It also accounts for roughly $370,000 of the state’s budget.
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The bill ensures significant pay raises, with a minimum raise for a state official totaling $17,000 to the Public Service and Transportation Commissioners and the largest raises going to the Insurance Commissioner and State Auditor with a $60,000 pay increase.
The raises are as follows:
- Governor – $122,160 to $160,000 – an increase of $37,840
- Lt. Governor – $60,000 to $85,000 – an increase of $25,000
- Speaker of the House – $60,000 to $85,000 – an increase of $25,000
- Attorney General – $108,960 to $150,000 – an increase of $41,040
- Secretary of State – $90,000 to $120,000 – an increase of $30,000
- Insurance Commissioner – $90,000 to $150,000 – an increase of $60,000
- Agriculture Commissioner – $90,000 to $120,000 – an increase of $30,000
- State Treasurer – $90,000 to $120,000 – an increase of $30,000
- State Auditor – $90,000 to $150,000 – an increase of $60,000
- Public Service Commissioners – $78,000 to $95,000 – an increase of $17,000
- Transportation Commissioners – $78,000 to $95,000 – an increase of $17,000
The bill also reduces the cap on the salary for certain state appointed officials, namely the heads of state agencies and the Governor’s Chief of Staff, lowering those salaries from a maximum of 150% of the salary of the Governor to 125%.
The final vote on the bill was 72 to 34 in the House and 46 to 3 in the Senate.
State Representative Becky Currie (R) was one of the 34 members in the House of Representatives to vote no on the bill.
“I voted no because some of the raises were too much,” said Currie. “I am glad that the Governor did not sign it, even if it goes into law. Notice there were no legislative pay raises because the people told us we knew what the job paid when we ran. So I assume that goes for everyone.”
The State Senate had proposed a pay increase for lawmakers but it ultimately died in the House.
Sarah Ulmer
