FIRST REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 13

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1570L.01I

AN ACT

Disapproving the amount of increase in compensation for public officials as recommended by the Missouri Citizen's Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

            Whereas, the voters of Missouri approved a constitutional amendment in 1994 which created a commission charged with setting the amount of compensation paid to statewide elected officials, legislators and judges; and

     Whereas, Article XIII, Section 3 of the Missouri Constitution charges the Missouri Citizen's Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials with setting the amounts of compensation paid to statewide elected officials, legislators, and judges; and

             Whereas, the Constitution provides the Commission with a four-month window prior to its constitutional deadline for making salary recommendations to hold public hearings around the state to gather testimony related to salaries for affected state officials and to carefully consider whether pay increases are warranted; and

             Whereas, in 2006, the Commission did not begin work until eleven days before its December 1, 2006, deadline for submitting a report containing salary recommendations; and

             Whereas, as few as six members of the twenty-two member Commission attended the public hearings at which testimony on salaries for affected officials was given; and

             Whereas, the Commission recommended pay increases for state judges and statewide elected officials effective July 1, 2007, and pay increases for legislators effective January 1, 2009; and

             Whereas, Citizens' Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials attempted to compile a fiscally prudent and responsible compensation schedule that would allow for modest, reasonable increases for all persons affected; and

             Whereas, the Commission believes that the recommendation accomplishes the twin goals of making the commission function again and rectifying the currently dysfunctional pay system for legislators, statewide elected officials, and judges; and

             Whereas, when considered as an annual percentage over the years that have passed since any of these officials last received any increase, this report's recommended increases amount to less than a 1% increase per year for all offices; and

             Whereas, the recommendation establishes a system for consistent future increases in the same manner as other State of Missouri employees; and

             Whereas, the Commission's recommendations shall take effect unless disapproved by the General Assembly through a concurrent resolution process passed by two-thirds majorities in each legislative chamber before February 1, 2007:

             Now, therefore, be it resolved by the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fourth General Assembly, First Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, that the recommendations of the Missouri Citizen's Commission on Compensation of Elected Officials be disapproved.