§ 2-8 — Compensation and expenses of members and officers of the General Assembly.

Connecticut § 2-8

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 2: General Assembly and Legislative Agencies
• Ch. 16: General Assembly

Text

(a) On and after January 4, 2023, each member of the General Assembly shall receive compensation of forty thousand dollars for each year of the term for which such member is elected, except that such compensation shall be adjusted thereafter in accordance with the provisions of section 2-9c. Such compensation, including any adjustment thereto, shall be paid as follows: In each year of the term, one-fifth within the first ten days of February and thereafter one-fifth within the first ten days of each succeeding month until total compensation for the year is paid. Any member may elect to receive one-twelfth of the total compensation to which such member is entitled under the provisions of this section in any year, payable in equal monthly installments during such year commencing in the month of January. If any such member resigns for reasons of health or dies before receiving the full compensation to which such member is entitled for such year, the balance of such compensation shall be immediately payable to such member or to such member's estate. (b) Each member shall receive, in addition to the compensation payable under subsection (a) of this section and the transportation allowance payable under section 2-15 , the sum of four thousand five hundred dollars if a member of the House of Representatives or the sum of five thousand five hundred dollars if a member of the Senate for each year of the term for which such member is elected as reimbursement for expenses, payable as follows: One-half within the first ten days of February and one-half within ten days after final adjournment of the regular session in each year of the term. If any member resigns for reasons of health or dies before receiving the full amount to which such member is entitled for the year of such member resignation or death, the balance of the amount shall be immediately payable to such member or to such member's estate. (c) In lieu of the compensation payable under subsection (a) of this section, on and after January 4, 2023, until any adjustment under section 2-9c , the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall each receive compensation of fifty-two thousand dollars for each year of the term for which said officer so serves, the majority and minority leaders of the House of Representatives and of the Senate shall each receive compensation of fifty thousand dollars for each year of the term for which said officer so serves, the deputy speaker and the deputy majority and minority leaders of the House of Representatives and of the Senate shall each receive compensation of forty-nine thousand dollars for each year of the term in which said officer so serves, each assistant majority and minority leader and majority and minority whip of the House and Senate and the chairpersons of each joint standing committee, except the Joint Committee on Legislative Management, shall each receive compensation of forty-six thousand five hundred dollars for each year of the term in which said chairperson so serves and the ranking members of each joint standing committee, except the Joint Committee on Legislative Management, shall each receive compensation of forty-four thousand five hundred dollars for each year of the term in which said officer so serves to be paid as provided in subsection (a) of this section. Each of said officers shall receive the sum of five thousand five hundred dollars if the officer is a senator and the sum of four thousand five hundred dollars if the officer is a representative, as reimbursement for expenses for each year of the term for which the officer is elected, payable as provided in subsection (b) of this section. Each of said officers shall have the same option to elect payment of one-twelfth of the officer's compensation for each year of the term for which the officer is elected payable in equal monthly installments in such year as is provided for other members under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section. (d) In lieu of the compensation payable under subsection (a) or (c) of this section and reimbursement for expenses under subsection (b) of this section, any member elected to fill any unexpired term shall receive the following: (1) For less than a full year of a term, a pro rata amount of the compensation payable under subsection (a) or (c) of this section, including any adjustment of such compensation under section 2-9c , and, in addition to the transportation allowance payable under section 2-15 , a pro rata amount of the sum payable under subsection (b) of this section, as reimbursement for expenses, both payable upon certification of such member's election; (2) for a full year of a term, the compensation payable under subsection (a) or (c) of this section, including any adjustment to such compensation under section 2-9c , and reimbursement for expenses payable under subsection (b) of this section, both payable upon certification of such member's election. (e) No person who is elected to serve in one house of the General Assembly and is thereafter elected to fill a vacancy in the other house for the unexpired portion of the same term shall receive total compensation or total reimbursement for expenses for such term in an amount greater than that to which such person was entitled on such person's election to the first house. (f) Any member who resigns for reasons other than health or election to the other house prior to the expiration of any year of the term for which such member was elected, and who has received the total compensation and total reimbursement for expenses payable under subsections (a) and (b) of this section for that year, including any adjustment to such compensation under section 2-9c , shall reimburse the state in an amount equal to that portion of such total compensation and total expense reimbursement attributable to the remainder of the year in which such member resigns. See Sec. 2-15 re transportation allowance.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 3594; 1959, P.A. 552; 1961, P.A. 195; 247; 328; 1963, P.A. 138, S. 1; February, 1965, P.A. 458, S. 1; 1972, P.A. 22; 281, S. 1; P.A. 77-576, S. 57, 65; P.A. 79-432, S. 1, 2, 4; 79-608, S. 5–7, 10; P.A. 80-483, S. 5, 186; P.A. 82-365, S. 1, 8; 82-472, S. 177, 183; P.A. 84-114, S. 2; 84-345, S. 1, 3; P.A. 86-375, S. 7, 9; P.A. 88-349, S. 1, 5; P.A. 91-56, S. 1, 2; P.A. 98-227, S. 7, 9; P.A. 00-231, S. 6, 10; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-2, S. 33; P.A. 14-122, S. 1; P.A. 22-85, S. 1.) History: 1959 act increased salary payable from $600 to $2,000, authorized payment either in year of session or one-half that year and balance next year in equal installments and added expense allowance; 1961 acts authorized split payment of expense allowance of $500 and added a Subsec. (c), now Subsec. (d); 1963 act clarified in Subsec. (a) that unpaid balance is payable on final adjournment of regular session and authorized second payment in lump sum under optional provisions; 1965 act raised members' salaries and expense allowances, provided for salaries in event of annual or special sessions and added present subsection (c); 1972 P.A. 22 replaced “ceases to hold such office” with “resigns for reasons of health or dies”, changed terms of compensation for members elected to fill unexpired terms, created Subsec. (e) from part of Subsec. (d) and added Subsecs. (f) and (g) concerning members' switching from one house to the other during a term and reimbursements of compensation and expenses required because of resignation for other than health reasons or election to other house, effective with respect to members elected to unexpired terms after June 9, 1971; 1972 P.A. 281 raised compensation and expense allowances of general assembly members and repealed Subsec. (e), renumbering remaining Subsecs. accordingly, effective January 3, 1973; P.A. 77-576 raised compensation of members, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-432 specified time within which payments for expenses of assembly members are to be paid and increased amount of such payments, effective January 7, 1981; P.A. 79-608 increased compensation for members, effective January 7, 1981; P.A. 80-483 made technical changes; P.A. 82-365 increased compensation of members from $9,500 for first year of term and $7,500 for second year to $10,500 for each year of term; increased yearly expenses of members and officers from $2,000 to $2,500; increased compensation of speaker and senate president from $12,000 for first year of term and $9,000 for second year to $15,500 for each year of term; increased compensation of leaders from $11,500 for first year of term and $8,500 for second year to $14,500 for each year; increased compensation of deputy speaker from $11,500 for first year of term and $8,500 for second year to $13,500 for each year; increased compensation of deputy leaders from $11,000 for first year and $8,000 for second year to $13,500 for each year; increased compensation of assistant leaders from $10,500 for first year and $7,500 for second year to $12,500 for each year; increased compensation of committee chairmen from $9,500 for first year and $7,500 for second year to $11,500 for each year; prorated compensation and expenses payable to members elected to fill unexpired terms; P.A. 82-472 deleted references to certification of election “to the comptroller” in Subsec. (d); P.A. 84-114 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that the method of payment of each member's compensation shall be the same in both odd and even-numbered years and amended Subsec. (b) to provide that each member shall receive one-half of his expense payments in February of each year rather than in the second month of each regular session; P.A. 84-345 increased each member's annual compensation from $10,500 to $13,000; increased annual expense payments from $2,500 to $3,500; increased compensation of the speaker and president pro tempore from $15,500 to $18,000; increased compensation of the leaders from $14,500 to $17,000; increased compensation of the deputy speaker and deputy leaders from $13,500 to $16,000; increased compensation for committee chairmen from $11,500 to $15,000; increased compensation of ranking members of each committee to $14,000; increased prorated compensation for members filling an unexpired term from a pro rata amount of $1,250 to a pro rata amount of $1,750; P.A. 86-375 amended Subsec. (a) to increase each member's annual compensation from $13,000 to $15,200; amended Subsec. (b) to increase annual expense payments for members of the senate from $3,500 to $4,500 and amended Subsec. (c) to increase compensation of: The speaker and president pro tempore from $18,000 to $21,000; the leaders from $17,000 to $20,000; the deputy speakers and deputy leaders from $16,000 to $18,700; committee chairmen from $15,000 to $17,500, and ranking members from $14,000 to $16,500; P.A. 88-349 amended Subsec. (a) to increase each member's annual compensation from $15,200 to $15,960, beginning January 4, 1989, and from $15,960 to $16,760, beginning January 1, 1990, and amended Subsec. (c) to increase compensation of: The speaker and president pro tempore from $21,000 to $22,050, beginning January 4, 1989, and from $22,050 to $23,160, beginning January 1, 1990; the leaders from $20,000 to $21,000, beginning January 4, 1989, and from $21,000 to $22,050, beginning January 1, 1990; the deputy speakers and deputy leaders from $18,700 to $19,635, beginning January 4, 1989, and from $19,635 to $20,620, beginning January 1, 1990; assistant leaders and committee chairmen from $17,500 to $18,375, beginning January 4, 1989, and from $18,375 to $19,300, beginning January 1, 1990, and ranking members from $16,500 to $17,325, beginning January 4, 1989, and from $17,325 to $18,200, beginning January 1, 1990; P.A. 91-56 amended Subsec. (d) to change amount of reimbursement for expenses, for less than a full year of a term, from a pro rata amount of $1,750 to a pro rata amount of the sum payable under Subsec. (b); P.A. 98-227 amended Subsec. (a) to increase each member's annual compensation from $16,760 to $21,788, amended Subsec. (b) to increase annual expense payments for members of the House from $3,500 to $4,500 and to increase annual expense payments for members of the Senate from $4,500 to $5,500, amended Subsec. (c) to increase annual compensation of: The speaker and president pro tempore from $23,160 to $30,108, the leaders from $22,050 to $28,665, the deputy speaker and deputy leaders from $20,620 to $26,806, assistant leaders and joint standing committee chairmen from $19,300 to $25,090, joint standing committee ranking members from $18,200 to $23,260, to add provision that whips receive annual compensation of $25,090, and to increase annual expense payments for each of said officers from $3,500 to $5,500 for senators and from $3,500 to $4,500 for representatives, effective January 6, 1999; P.A. 00-231 increased each member's annual compensation from $21,788 to $28,000, increased compensation of speaker and president pro tempore from $30,108 to $38,689, increased compensation of leaders from $28,665 to $36,835, increased compensation of deputy speaker and deputy leaders from $26,806 to $34,446, increased compensation of assistant leaders, whips and committee chairpersons from $25,090 to $32,241, increased compensation of ranking members from $23,660 to $30,403 and made technical changes for the purposes of gender neutrality, effective January 3, 2001; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-2 amended Subsec. (c) to delete “Standing” re Joint Committee on Legislative Management; P.A. 14-122 made technical changes in Subsec. (d); P.A. 22-85 amended Subsec. (a) to increase each member's annual compensation from $28,000 to $40,000 on and after January 4, 2023 and add exception for adjustments under Sec. 2-9c, amended Subsec. (c) to increase annual compensation on and after January 4, 2023, until adjusted under Sec. 2-9c of: The speaker and president pro tempore from $38,689 to $52,000, the majority and minority leaders from $36,835 to $50,000, the deputy speaker and deputy leaders from $34,446 to $49,000, assistant leaders, whips and committee chairpersons from $32,241 to $46,500, joint standing committee ranking members from $30,403 to $44,500 and to make technical changes, amended Subsec. (d) to make technical and conforming changes and add references to adjustment of compensation under Sec. 2-9c and amended Subsec. (f) to make technical changes and add reference to adjustment of compensation under Sec. 2-9c, effective January 1, 2023.