Pro Tem Paxton Encourages Legislative Compensation Board to Reconsider Vote on Lawmaker Pay

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, today encouraged members of the Legislative Compensation Board to reconsider their recent vote on pay for members of the Oklahoma Legislature.

Pro Tem Paxton’s comments follow the board’s decision to increase pay for legislative leadership positions but not for individual members of the House and Senate. A motion to reconsider the broader pay adjustment will potentially be discussed at the board’s next meeting on November 4.

“I appreciate the members of the Legislative Compensation Board for having these difficult discussions and for agreeing to revisit this issue next month,” Pro Tem Paxton said. “Leadership pay adjustments should not be separate from member pay adjustments. Every legislator, regardless of title, works tirelessly to represent their constituents, pass meaningful legislation and help move Oklahoma forward. This is not unlike the approach some agencies have taken with state employees, who have appropriately received pay raises in recent years to help their salaries remain competitive with the private sector. Legislators have not received a pay adjustment since 2019. The job of a lawmaker takes substantial time away from families and other career obligations outside of the Capitol. For these reasons and more, any decision to increase leadership compensation should also reflect the work and commitment of every member.

“There are new members on the Legislative Compensation Board, and this was their first meeting. It’s appropriate to give them time to review the data, ask questions and fully understand the implications of this decision. I appreciate their willingness to take another look at this issue and encourage them to maintain parity between leadership and every other member of the Legislature when it comes to adjustments in compensation.”