Some states have a full-time legislature, while others pay their lawmakers almost nothing. In Texas, we鈥檙e somewhere in between.
Before today鈥檚 listener question, here鈥檚 a question for readers: Do you know how much Texas lawmakers get paid? Would you believe it鈥檚 $600 per month?
When Tyson from Austin first learned that, he was surprised. He asked, 鈥淲hy is it legal for state legislators to not get paid a living wage? It seems like built-in class discrimination, where you have to be rich to do it.鈥�
Other states in comparison
Members of the U.S. Congress all have the same base salary, but for state lawmakers, the pay can be . In Texas, there鈥檚 a long tradition of the concept of the 鈥渃itizen legislature,鈥� which basically means lawmaking isn鈥檛 supposed to be a full-time job.
Judge Katie Kennedy is a Houstonian who serves on the state鈥檚 . 鈥淭he Texas Constitution addresses both legislators鈥� salary and per-diem payments during a legislative session,鈥� she says.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 and 24A of the Texas Constitution.鈥� So it鈥檚 legal because it鈥檚 in the state鈥檚 constitution. $600 a month may not pay the bills, but in Texas it鈥檚 not supposed to. Compare that to California: There the state legislature works full time all year, every year and the lawmakers make $104,000 annually.
However, in New Hampshire, they鈥檝e been paying their lawmakers just $100 a year since 1889. That鈥檚 why voters in California may expect more from their legislators than folks do in New Hampshire. In Texas, we鈥檙e in the middle. What we expect from lawmakers isn鈥檛 as clear.
Legislators' experience: Time is money
As Tyson鈥檚 question points out, not everyone can afford to be a Texas lawmaker. Houston Democrat Senfronia Thompson was a public school teacher before she was elected to the Texas House.
But she had some help: 鈥淚 was married,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 had a husband.鈥� Thompson says Yes, more people would run for office in Texas if they had the money, but that we shouldn鈥檛 expect changes anytime soon. 鈥淭he support is not there, because the majority of the people that I work with, they don鈥檛 need a salary increase,鈥� she says.
When the legislature is in session, lawmakers also get a daily per diem of $190 for expenses, like if they need to rent an apartment while they鈥檙e in Austin. Sarah Davis is a House Republican representing Houston鈥檚 134th District. She says the per diem is important, but she would eliminate the salary.
鈥淚f I were designing the system, I probably wouldn鈥檛 even give the legislators $7,200 a year,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ecause I really believe that it is about community service.鈥� Davis says being a lawmaker should be a sacrifice, and if people were paid higher salaries, they might be there for the wrong reasons.
Still, she admits it鈥檚 expensive. 鈥淲e say we鈥檙e a part-time legislature, but I literally have to take six months out of my job to go to Austin,鈥� she says. Some representatives point out that Texas is better off having perspectives from all sorts of professionals on the floor.
Leticia Van de Putte represented part of San Antonio for almost 25 years, first in the House, then in the Senate. She says, Take, for instance, Senator Donna Campbell: 鈥淪he鈥檒l work a 24-hour shift and come off and come to the Capitol, change out of her scrubs, and put on high heels and a dress and go to the Senate floor.鈥�
Van de Putte says it鈥檚 not easy making $600 a month 鈥� some reps can鈥檛 put their primary jobs on hold. When Van de Putte first ran for office, she was a pharmacist with her own business and six kids under the age of 10.
鈥淥ur family calculated that every time we had a legislative session, it would cost our family around $50,000 or more because I wasn鈥檛 working,鈥� she says. Even when they鈥檙e not in session, lawmakers are expected to juggle committee hearings, interim reports, constituent services, plus a constant parade of parades.
Can changes be made?
Katie Kennedy, who serves on the Ethics Commission, says state lawmakers can鈥檛 change how much they make; a request would have to come from a member of the public.
鈥淲ell, they would have to come to the Texas Ethics Commission, which they鈥檙e welcome to do,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e have open meetings. They can ask to speak at our meetings and put that idea forward.鈥� From there, the commission could make a recommendation, and then, it would go to the voters.
The next meeting of the is in September.
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