Idaho lawmakers will see an increase in their pay from $19,913, to $25,000 per year for the next two years.

The Citizens’ Committee on Legislative Compensation unanimously approved this increase Wednesday morning at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. 

The Idaho Senate president pro tem and Idaho House speaker will also receive an increase of an additional $5,000 per year to $5,500 per year, and minority leadership will receive an increase of an additional $2,000 to $2,500. 

The new salary structure will take effect on Dec. 1 for the next two years, unless the state Senate and House of Representatives reject or reduce the new rates by concurrent resolution within 25 days of the legislative session, which begins Jan. 6. If the new rates are rejected, the previous lower rates will remain in effect.

Costs for daily meals and travel expenses during the annual legislative session will remain covered under the new structure.

According to the Idaho Constitution, the Legislature “shall have no authority to establish the rate of its compensation and expense by law.” Rather, a citizens committee must establish the salary of Idaho lawmakers. The committee consists of six members who are not public officials – three appointed by the governor and three by the Idaho Supreme Court.

Committee rejects original proposal for 43% increase

The original request from Idaho Senate and House leadership and minority leadership sought a 43% pay increase for state lawmakers. This proposed pay rate would have boosted salaries to $37,801 in the coming year while eliminating some expense reimbursements, the Idaho Statesman reported.

On Wednesday, the committee rejected that proposal.

“I think leadership has done a great job, but I just don’t think they deserve that much more compensation,” committee member Mary Hasenoehrl said. 

At Wednesday’s hearing, three individuals voiced their opposition to the original proposal, beginning with American Action Fund Idaho field manager Sulamita Rotante. 

“A 43% pay increase for legislators during a time of historic inflation is out of touch with what Idaho people want and the conservative values we hold true. This should be a no brainer for our elected officials,” she said. “… Legislators should be focused on cutting government spending and taxes, or cutting government spending and taxes.”

Rotante also said it was “concerning” that the committee chose to meet at 8 a.m. the day after the presidential election. Committee chairman Dennis Johnson said he is aware of the inconvenience of the timing of the meeting. However, it was not an attempt to “do this in the dark of the night,” he said, but rather it met the schedules of those who are on this committee. 

Others who spoke in opposition to the proposed pay increases included Idaho Freedom Foundation policy director Niklas Kleinworth, and District 25 Idaho House Representative-elect David Leavitt.

“I believe it sends a wrong message to our taxpayers to fund lawmaker raises,” Leavitt said. “We should be focusing on saving taxpayers money.”

Idaho Senate Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, attended the hearing virtually on Zoom. Winder, who was defeated in his May primary election and won’t be returning to the Legislature in January, defended the proposed increases, emphasizing the need to attract younger candidates and the high cost of housing in Boise.

“In Boise, housing is very difficult to obtain, and people are actually living in hotels,” Winder said.  “I can remember 10 years ago when a $100 a room was kind of the top end. Now to get a room in the downtown area or close to the capitol, you’re looking at $200 to $300 a night.”

As part of Tuesday’s conservative red wave, Republicans were poised to expand their supermajority in the Idaho Legislature based on unofficial results from the 2024 general election.

Idaho Republicans were on the verge of gaining four legislative seats and adding to the GOP’s robust supermajority. 

Idaho Democrats, meanwhile, were looking at coughing up four legislative seats and seeing their influence in Boise diminished again. 

Based on partial, unofficial election results released early Wednesday by the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office, Republicans were poised to flip Idaho Senate seats in West Boise’s Legislative District 15 and Central Idaho’s Legislative District 26. Republicans were also in position to flip Idaho House of Representatives seats in District 26 and Bannock County’s District 29.

For the past two years, Idaho Republicans controlled 87 of the 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature, while Democrats controlled 18 seats in the Idaho Legislature.

If Wednesday’s results hold, the balance of power would shift to a 91-14 advantage for the Idaho GOP. Broken down further, Republicans would control 30 seats in the Idaho Senate compared to five seats for the Democrats. Republicans would also see their influence in the Idaho House grow to a 61 to nine advantage over Democrats.

• In the District 15 Idaho Senate race, former House Rep. Codi Galloway, R-Boise, was leading incumbent Sen. Rick Just, D-Boise, by a margin of 12,414 votes to 11,089 with all 197 Ada County precincts reporting early Wednesday, according to the Ada County Elections Office. 
• In the District 26 Idaho Senate race, former Rep. Laurie Lickley, R-Jerome, was leading incumbent Sen. Ron Taylor, D-Hailey, by a margin of 7,933 votes to 7,873 with one of the three counties fully reporting, according to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office. 
• In the District 26 Idaho House Seat A race, Republican challenger Mike Pohanka was leading incumbent Rep. Ned Burns, D-Bellevue, by a margin of 9,127 votes to 8,404 votes with one of three counties fully reporting. 
• In the District 29 Idaho House Seat B race, Republican challenger Tanya Burgoyne defeated incumbent Rep. Nate Roberts, D-Pocatello, by a margin of 11,498 votes to 10,359 votes with all Bannock County precincts reporting. 

Although it is too early to tell, losing seats in the 2024 general election could potentially cost Democrats some of the few seats they do hold on influential legislative committees such as the House State Education Committee and the House Health and Welfare Committee. Idaho legislators will convene an organizational session in early December to elect leadership positions, choose committee chairs and make committee assignments.

Election results in Idaho will not become official in Idaho until they are certified by the Idaho State Board of Canvassers on Nov. 26 in Boise.

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