Legislators' salaries rise for a limited period

Summary#

SSB 3196 is a bill about salaries for Iowa’s elected state officials. It changes legislative salary rules and sets salaries for statewide executive officials; its stated goal is to increase those salaries by $12,000 for a limited period. The bill is introduced and is not law.

  • From January 2027 through 2032, most legislators’ annual salary would be $37,000; the speaker, Senate presiding officer and floor leaders would receive $49,500, and the two designated pro tempore officers would receive $39,000.
  • Starting in 2033, legislative salaries would return to the amounts listed in the bill: $25,000 for most members, $37,500 for the speaker, Senate presiding officer and floor leaders, and $27,000 for the pro tempore officers.
  • Beginning January 1, 2027, the bill sets annual salaries of $142,000 for the governor; $115,212 for the lieutenant governor, secretary of agriculture, auditor, secretary of state and treasurer; and $135,669 for the attorney general. The bill’s explanation says these are $12,000 increases.
  • The executive salary schedule would end on December 31, 2032. After that, salaries would be set under a 2005 Iowa law.
  • Existing legislative expense and travel allowances are not changed by the bill.

What it means for you#

  • Legislators and statewide elected officials: Their salaries would rise under the amounts and dates above. The executive salaries would be paid from money appropriated to the relevant department or office.
  • Taxpayers: The bill would increase salary spending while the higher rates apply. It does not say how much the total increase would cost.
  • Other residents: The bill does not directly change taxes, benefits, public services, or rules for private businesses.

Money#

The bill sets higher salary rates, but the available material gives no estimate of the total public cost.

  • Each affected official’s annual salary is described as increasing by $12,000 during the applicable period.
  • Executive salaries are to be paid from appropriations to the relevant department or office; the bill does not provide a separate appropriation or staffing estimate.
  • No total cost estimate or fiscal note is included in the available material.

What is unclear#

  • The bill does not state the total cost across all affected positions.
  • The 2005 law that would set executive salaries after December 31, 2032 was not supplied, so those later salary amounts could not be checked.
  • The bill is introduced and may change; whether it will pass is uncertain.

Case for#

  • The bill appears intended to raise salaries for elected officials for a defined period.
  • A possible argument for the bill is that setting specific salary rates in law makes the amounts and the period of the increase clear.
  • The scheduled return of legislative salaries to the listed lower amounts in 2033 limits the duration of that increase.

Case against#

  • The bill raises public salary costs, but the available material does not say how large the total increase would be.
  • The executive salary schedule would end in 2032, but the bill points to a 2005 law for the replacement rates without listing those amounts.
  • The bill does not explain why these particular salary amounts were chosen.