A state panel on Tuesday voted to keep lawmakers’ base pay the same, but left the door cracked to reconsider that decision next month.
The Legislative Compensation Board voted to keep legislators’ base pay at $47,500 a year, but member James Leewright, a former Republican senator appointed by the state House, said he wants to revisit the decision when the board meets again Nov. 4.
Leewright said some members were just recently appointed to the panel and learned new information.
But some members objected to reconsidering legislative pay so soon, saying they just voted to reject a salary increase.
“This board can’t continue to meet every time someone wants to change a prior vote,” said Robert P. DeNegri, who was appointed by the governor.
“It’s obvious to me what is happening here,” he said. “There’s certain members of the board that don’t like the results of the vote and they want to reconvene this board to vote again.”
David “Chip” Carter, a gubernatorial appointee, said he has never been a member of a board that was not allowed to revisit its decisions.
Maria Maule, the board’s attorney, said she would advise against revisiting the vote.
“I think it makes it really confusing to people if you are continually revisiting the same issue,” she said.
After the meeting, Chairman Brian Jackson, another gubernatorial appointee, said he did not know if a second vote on legislative salaries would be taken in November.
Total compensation for Oklahoma lawmakers is $72,869, a figure which includes the base salary for those not in leadership, per diem payments during session, benefits and state retirement contributions, according to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services.
The compensation board, which meets every two years in odd numbered years, did approve an increase in stipends for some who serve legislative leadership positions. They receive a stipend on top of their base pay.
The House Speaker and Senate Pro Tem stipend will increase by nearly 26% — from $18,829 to $23,750.
Some other leaders will see their stipends increase nearly 21% to $15,675. Those leaders would receive a $2,693 hike.
Leewright attempted to add additional leadership posts to the stipend increase, but was advised it would be a violation of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act because the posts were not listed on the agenda.
The panel could revisit the issue at its November meeting.
An analysis by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services indicates that Oklahoma legislative salaries and per diem are the second highest among surrounding states at $60,828.
Colorado was the highest at $63,914 while New Mexico was the lowest at $14,820. New Mexico does not provide a salary to lawmakers.
Oklahoma lawmakers are in session from February until the last Friday in May, but can be called into special session. They normally meet Monday through Thursday.
Lawmakers who live more than 50 miles away from the Capitol also earn a per diem of $196 a day.
Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, issued a statement encouraging the panel to revisit the legislative pay decision.
“The job of a lawmaker takes substantial time away from families and other career obligations outside of the Capitol,” he said.
Many say it is a full-time job because they are meeting with constituents and performing other legislative functions when they are not in session.
Any changes would be effective Nov. 18, 2026, after the next legislative general election.
The panel in 2019 voted to increase legislative pay to $47,500 from $35,021. Two years earlier, it voted to decrease legislative pay.