(AP) – Expense payments to Arkansas lawmakers dropped from
$4.02 million in 2014 to $2.29 million in 2016 while their salaries rose from
$2.13 million to $5.28 million.
2016 is the first full calendar year since a commission created by voters
increased the salaries of legislators from $15,869 a year to $39,500 and raised
salaries of the House speaker and Senate president pro tem from $17,771 a year
to $45,000.
In exchange for the increased pay, the Legislature eliminated the payment of
up to $14,400 to lawmakers for office expenses.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that combined salary and expense
payments to lawmakers totaled $7.57 million in 2016 — up from $6.15 million in
2014.
Lawmakers meet in regular session in odd-numbered years and meet in
even-numbered years for a fiscal session.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI