Kansas Lawmakers Set for Pay Raises as Resolution Fails to Block Increase

Kansas Lawmakers Set for Significant Pay Increase in 2025 After Resolution Fails

Kansas lawmakers will see their salaries nearly double in 2025 after the Legislature failed to act on a plan to increase compensation that it did not directly vote on.

In 2023, the Kansas House and Senate passed a bill establishing a legislative compensation committee, which later recommended raising legislators’ salaries to $43,000 annually. The current rate is $88.66 per day, amounting to approximately $8,200 per year.

However, with per diems and allowances, most lawmakers earned closer to $23,500, according to the Kansas Legislative Research Department. Proponents of the pay hike argued that higher salaries could attract and retain candidates who are less wealthy or retired.

The bill stipulated that the committee’s recommendations would automatically take effect unless blocked by resolutions passed in both chambers. Seven senators introduced a resolution to prevent the increase, but a motion to bring it out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee fell short.

The motion received 21 votes in favor, three against, 12 abstentions, and four absences, leaving it shy of the 24 votes needed.

Even if the resolution had reached the floor, it would have required a two-thirds majority for approval. Without sufficient support, the measure died without a vote.

In addition to increasing base salaries, the bill also raises compensation for leadership roles. The Senate president and House speaker, the Legislature’s most powerful positions, are set to earn $85,000 annually, nearly doubling their current salary of $44,000.

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