Wyoming Legislative Pay Raise Bill Defeated; Group Health Insurance Proposal Advances

Wyoming lawmakers could soon enroll in a group health insurance plan, but they will not give themselves a salary raise.

Last week the Legislature’s Management Council advanced a bill to the full Legislature that would allow legislators and their dependents to enroll in the plan.

Those who voted in favor of the bill say it could encourage more people to run for office in future elections, and in the past, many have not run because they were not fond of the health insurance.

The salary pay raise bill died because of a tie vote in the council and legislators have not had a raise in salary since 2005.

Currently, lawmakers get $150 a day for each day of a session including weekends and the proposal was to increase it to $230 a day, but it wouldn’t take effect until 2027.

Last month a bill was advanced that would increase lawmakers per diem compensation from $109 a day to $155 a day starting in 2024.

Those who voted against the salary pay raise say the increase in per diem was enough of an increase all together.