The Ohio Senate voted in favor of SJR 1, which would amend the Ohio Constitution to create a Public Office Compensation Commission. The Commission would review and set pay for lawmakers, constitutional officers, judges and others. Currently, the General Assembly has authority over pay raises for public officers. A commission would take lawmakers out of the business of setting their own pay.
Under SJR 1, the General Assembly has some authority to reject final pay amounts. However, if the General Assembly rejects a final compensation plan or portion thereof, a member of the General Assembly is not entitled to an increase in compensation for the duration of the member’s term of office.
The Ohio House also needs to approve the joint resolution by a 3/5 vote before the proposal goes on the ballot. This issue potentially could be on the ballot in November 2015.
See The Morning Journal, Ohio Senate approves pay raise commission proposal.
See our prior posts It’s Back! Senate Joint Resolution to Create Commission for Public Office Pay Increases, Constitutionally Created Commission for Ohio Public Officials’ Pay Increases? .
