House Bill No. 149, introduced by Representative Marino, amends the compensation structure for members of the Louisiana legislature. The bill replaces the fixed annual salary of $16,800 for legislators with a new salary structure that is set at 75% of the latest median household income for Louisiana, as published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census prior to the beginning of each term. Additionally, the salaries for the presiding officers of the Senate and House of Representatives will be adjusted to 200% of the newly established legislator salary, while the salaries for the speaker pro tempore and president pro tempore will be set at 150% of the legislator salary.

The bill also includes provisions for the payment of these salaries, which will be drawn from the general fund and paid monthly. The changes are set to take effect at 10:00 a.m. on January 8, 2024. The amendments made by the House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs further clarify the salary calculations and remove previous provisions for a specified cost-of-living adjustment prior to each term.

Statutes affected:
HB149 Original: 24:1(A), 24:502(A), 24:504(B), 24:506(A), 24:507(B)
HB149 Engrossed: 24:1(A), 24:502(A), 24:504(B), 24:506(A), 24:507(B)