An Act Requiring Voter Approval of Legislative and Gubernatorial Pay Increases
Summary
LD 775 would require voter approval for certain future pay increases for Maine’s Governor and for members of the Legislature. For the Governor, any salary increase enacted by the Legislature with an effective date after the first Wednesday of January 2027 would have to be submitted to the voters at the next November general election. For legislators, any salary increase enacted with an effective date after the first Wednesday of December 2024, other than the existing cost-of-living adjustment, would also have to go to the voters for approval or rejection at the next general election.
The bill does not eliminate current compensation provisions. It leaves in place the existing legislative salary structure, including the higher salary levels that began in December 2024, the separate treatment for legislators receiving Social Security retirement benefits, mileage reimbursement, toll reimbursement, and the annual cost-of-living adjustment formula, while adding a new voter-approval requirement for future increases outside the COLA system. In effect, it would make future discretionary pay raises for the Governor and lawmakers contingent on direct voter ratification.
Impact
If enacted, LD 775 would amend Maine law governing compensation for the executive and legislative branches by adding a referendum requirement for future salary increases. It would not change current salaries directly, but it would constrain the Legislature’s ability to raise pay for the Governor or legislators without first obtaining approval from the electorate at a general election. The bill would affect the statutes setting gubernatorial compensation and legislative compensation, while preserving existing COLA adjustments and reimbursement rules.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill faced significant opposition. The House accepted the Majority Ought Not To Pass report by a 20-14 vote, indicating that most members present did not support advancing the proposal. No committee transcript is available, but the vote pattern suggests the measure was viewed skeptically, likely because it would add a voter-approval hurdle to compensation decisions for elected officials.
Contention
The main point of contention is whether elected officials’ pay increases should be subject to direct voter approval. Supporters of the concept likely view the measure as a transparency and accountability safeguard, especially for raises affecting lawmakers and the Governor. Opponents likely object that compensation decisions are a legislative management issue and that requiring a referendum could politicize or complicate routine salary adjustments, particularly because the bill excludes COLA increases but captures other raises. The negative committee recommendation and floor vote indicate that this concern prevailed.