Full-Time State Legislator Salaries Compared to Mass.
State Legislatures across all 50 states vary in their salaries based on a myriad of factors, including cost of living, full-time or part-time schedules, and leadership stipends. Massachusetts is one out of ten states that has a full-time legislature. Full-time legislatures are characterized by members dedicating a significant portion of their time to legislative duties, often comparable to a full-time job, whereas part-time or hybrid legislatures are seen as part-time positions with room to hold jobs outside of the legislature.
Alaska, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are the only states in the U.S. whose legislatures are open year round. Their base salaries also reflect their time commitment.
Annual Salary Comparisons (2023):
Alaska - $50,407
California - $128,215
Hawaii - $72,348
Illinois - $85,000
Massachusetts - $73,655
Michigan - $71,685
New York - $142,000
Ohio - $69,876
Pennsylvania - $102,844
Wisconsin - $57,408
What is the Job Description for a Legislator in Massachusetts?
Salaries universally are understood to reflect compensation for work responsibilities. So, what is the proper job description for a state legislator in Massachusetts? Broadly speaking the role of a legislator in Massachusetts involves proposing and reviewing legislation, participating in public hearings, and voting on bills. Legislators must also meet specific eligibility requirements and are elected to represent their constituents in the bicameral state legislature.
Legislative Process:
Legislators are responsible for filing unlimited proposed pieces of legislation with the General Court.
The process involves sorting and numbering bills, assigning them to appropriate committees, and analyzing bills.
Members of committees must hold public hearings where legislators and the public can present testimony in support or opposition to a bill.
After committee review, legislators must report the bill out with a recommendation, which can be favorable, adverse, or requiring further study.
Legislators then must have the bill undergo a three-reading process in both the House and the Senate, ensuring thorough consideration and debate.
Both branches of the general court must pass the bill in the same form before it can be enacted.
Once legislators engross the bill, it is sent to the governor who then has 10 days to sign or veto it.
Leadership Roles:
The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House preside over their respective chambers and are elected by their members at the start of each two-year legislative cycle.
They are charged with controlling the flow and schedule of the legislature and presiding over formal sessions.
Other leadership roles, such as majority and minority leaders, are elected by their party caucuses based on party strength in the chamber.
Qualifications & Terms:
To serve as a legislator in Mass, you must be at least 18 years old, a registered voter in the state, and an inhabitant of the district you plan to represent, for at least 1 year prior to election.
Candidates must also receive at least 150 signatures on nomination papers to qualify for election.
Legislators are elected from 14 counties, each divided into single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth.
Legislators serve two-year terms, with no limit on the number of terms they can serve.
What is the Legislative Salary Structure?
Salaries for state legislators are often determined one of two ways: either set by the legislators themselves in the state constitution or in state law. Some states may commission a group that calculates a fair rate for its elected officials based on the cost of living and median wages of the state. The base salary for Massachusetts legislators is enumerated in the state constitution, specifically governed by a constitutional amendment - Article CXVIII, which states that base income for the general court should reflect the median household income in the commonwealth, allowing them to adjust biennially. The changes in wages are determined by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the U.S. Department of Commerce which reports average salaries in Massachusetts.
Leadership Stipends
Another factor that affects the state legislators salaries within the Commonwealth is its leadership stipend system. While all state senators and representatives begin at a base annual salary, there is a complex system of leadership bonuses. These stipends are given out to legislators who have additional responsibilities such as chairing committees or presiding over procedures. With the range of positions, the monetary value of stipends vary. There is a range of approximately $75,000 between the highest and lowest stipend amounts, with the largest amounts ($80,000) going to the Senate President and House Speaker and smaller positions, like vice chairs of some committees receiving only $5,200. Nonetheless, stipends significantly boost the overall compensation of legislators. On average, leadership pay constitutes about 20% of a legislator’s total pay.
The Mass. Legislature has the authority to write their own compensation into law, including the leadership stipends. This allows legislative leaders, particularly in the Democratic supermajority, to effectively determine the salaries of their colleagues. Despite this seemingly unrestricted spending, there are internal rules that serve as watchdogs. The House caps representatives at one position-based stipend, while the Senate allows members to earn stipends from up to 2 leadership or committee posts.
Arguably the most significant compensation package was 2017 legislation that increased stipend payments and salaries for top officials. In a recent report from the Boston Globe it was found that the legislation notably increased the leadership stipends for the House Speaker and Senate President by nearly 130%. The increase in compensation was decided based on a report from a Special Advisory Commission (established by the legislature) where salaries were compared to other states and similar roles in the private sector.
Other Full-Time Legislatures’ Stipend Systems
Not all full-time state legislatures offer leadership stipends. Out of the 10, only Alaska and Pennsylvania do not provide any additional compensation for leadership positions. Important to note as well is that compared to Massachusetts, some leadership positions are exempt from stipends while other positions in that state’s same body are awarded stipends (i.e.: Wisconsin only provides stipends to the Speaker and Senate President).
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures