Voters Pass Lawmaker Pay Issue To Independent Body

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- An independent body will decide if state lawmakers deserve a raise after Minnesota voters passed a constitutional amendment on Election Day.

The bottom-of-the-ballot question was on few voters' minds heading into Tuesday's general election, which had Democratic establishment candidate Hillary Clinton facing off against outsider Republican Donald Trump in the race for the White House.

Because it passed, an independent body will be formed to make objective decisions on lawmaker pay. For two decades, part-time state lawmakers have complained that they haven't received a raise, meanwhile fearing political backlash if they straight-up asked for it.

Currently, the state's 201 legislators make $31,000 a year, with House and Senate leaders making more. Daily expense allowances can bump up the yearly pay by an additional $10,000.

The last pay increase for lawmakers came in 1999. As it stands, Minnesota lawmakers are in the middle of the pack when it comes to legislator salaries nationwide.

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