Board votes to boost Oklahoma lawmakers’ salaries by 35%

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) –  The board that sets the salaries of Oklahoma lawmakers has voted to boost legislative pay by 35% next year, just two years after cutting lawmakers’ pay.

Jake Lowrey, spokesman for the Office of Management & Enterprise Services, says the Legislative Compensation Board cut legislators’ pay by 8.8% in 2017. Board Chairman Wes Milbourn said at the time that Oklahomans were frustrated with the Legislature.

But since then, the board’s membership has changed.

The new board voted 7-2 Tuesday to authorize the raises from $35,021 to $47,500. The legislators’ first pay raise since 1997 will take effect on Nov. 18, 2020.

The legislative session typically runs for four months.

The Legislative Compensation Board is appointed by the governor, House Speaker and Senate Pro Tem. The board also has two non-voting members.