HB2743 would roll back changes made by Public Act 102-1115 to two Illinois compensation statutes: the Salaries Act and the General Assembly Compensation Act. In practical terms, the bill removes the post-2023 salary provisions that set minimum pay levels for the Governor and other statewide constitutional officers at specified dollar amounts or the Compensation Review Board rate, whichever is greater. It also removes the changes that Public Act 102-1115 made to legislative compensation.
For members of the General Assembly, the bill would undo the current structure that provides a $85,000 annual salary, or a higher amount if set by the Compensation Review Board, for legislators beginning with the 103rd General Assembly. The bill leaves intact the broader framework in the statute for officer stipends, mileage, lodging, and meal allowances, but its stated purpose is to delete the newer compensation changes enacted in 2023. The caption, "EXECUTIVE & GA PAY RAISES," reflects that the bill is aimed at reversing pay increases for both executive branch officers and legislators.
Impact
If enacted, HB2743 would amend two state compensation laws by striking the provisions added by Public Act 102-1115, thereby changing the salary rules for statewide executive officers and General Assembly members. It would affect the statutory salary floor for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Comptroller, Treasurer, Attorney General, and rank-and-file legislators, and would restore the prior compensation structure to the extent those deleted provisions are the only source of the newer salary levels. The bill would not appear to create a new compensation system; rather, it would remove the current higher-pay language from the statutes.
Sentiment
Based on the bill title and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the available context suggests the bill is framed as a rollback of recent pay increases and is likely intended to appeal to fiscal restraint or anti-pay-raise sentiment. There is no documented committee debate in the provided materials, so no formal support or opposition is recorded here. The bill’s introduction by Rep. Kevin Schmidt indicates at least one sponsor willing to revisit the 2023 compensation changes.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely legislative and executive compensation itself: supporters of HB2743 would view the 2023 salary increases as unnecessary or politically unpopular, while opponents would likely argue that the current pay levels are appropriate, established by law, and tied to compensation review mechanisms. Another possible issue is whether repealing the newer salary language would create uncertainty or unintended effects for officials currently paid under the 2023 framework. Because there are no transcripts or votes provided, the specific arguments of each side are not documented in the available record.