Politics & Government
Commission Considering General Assembly Pay Increases And How Md., Pay Stacks Up To Other States
Maryland lawmakers currently earn a yearly salary of $50,330 — but that figure could be increasing soon.
November 27, 2021
Maryland lawmakers currently earn a yearly salary of $50,330 — but that figure could be increasing soon as the General Assembly Compensation Commission considers whether to raise pay for state legislators over the next four years.
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That commission, which convenes every four years to decide on lawmakers’ compensation, kicked off its work with an informational meeting last week. Simon G. Powell, a budget analyst with the nonpartisan Department of Legislative Services, told commission members that lawmakers have been taking on more work in recent years despite the fact that Maryland is not considered a full-time legislature like neighboring Pennsylvania.
The Maryland General Assembly typically meets each year for a 90-day session, although lawmakers sometimes convene in special session. For instance, lawmakers will return to Annapolis on Dec. 6 for a special session to tackle congressional redistricting. Lawmakers also deal with constituent issues year-round, Powell said.
Find out what's happening in Across Marylandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“We are definitely moving towards that professionalized legislature, although the moniker of a citizen legislature it’s still something to Maryland generally been clinging to,” Powell said. Most legislators still maintain day jobs in different fields.
The General Assembly Compensation Commission includes five members appointed by Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R), two members appointed by Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) and two members appointed by House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County). The commission’s recommendations will be subject to approval by the General Assembly, which can reduce or reject, but not increase, the recommendations.
The General Assembly Compensation Commission will meet virtually Tuesday. A prior commission recommended in January 2014 that salaries increase from $45,207 to $50,330 between 2015 and 2018, and salaries have been held steady since then.
bleckrone@marylandmatters.org
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