Latest news with #HouseBill86
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia Senate raises governor's pay to $250K to tie for tops in the country
(Left to right) House Speaker Jon Burns, Gov. Brian Kemp and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones could be in line for pay raises next year if a new compensation passes the Legislature in 2025. (File photo) Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Legislation passed by the Senate on Thursday would place the Georgia governor at the top of the list of high-paid governors in the nation and significantly increase the salaries of the attorney general, House and Senate leaders, and several other key officials. The Senate voted 45-10 to approve a revised House Bill 86 that would increase the governor's annual salary from $182,000 to $250,000 for next year. Several state court judges will receive higher salaries under the legislation, while the attorney general, state school superintendent, secretary of state, and agricultural, insurance, and labor commissioners will receive annual salaries of $200,000. Now that the bill has been amended by the Senate, the changes must be adopted by the House before the session concludes on April 4. According to data collected by the Council of State Governments on gubernatorial salaries for 2022, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's pay raise will move him from 10th highest earning to tied for first with Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York. Sen. John Albers, a Roswell Republican, said the new salaries will provide uniformity among several executive officers while also addressing disparities, such as the governor earning less than the Atlanta mayor's $236,000 salary. The bill would set the other salaries at $200,000, based on 80% of the governor's salary. 'This simply sets the governor's salary at $250,000 which I believe is appropriate, but then it falls in line with our constitutional officers and the speaker of the House,' Albers said. 'I think it actually will bring us up to where we need to be. If you look at constitutional officers like the speaker of the House, they sometimes make twice as much money as them,' Albers said. According to the database, the reported salaries in 2024 for six Georgia public officials who could get pay bumps through HB 86 were: Attorney General Chris Carr with $146,000; $131,000 for Insurance Commissioner John King and State School Superintendent Richard Woods; Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger made $125,637; $106,000 for House Speaker Jon Burns, and $98,000 for Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. In comparison, the Council for State Governments reported that the average salary for secretary of states nationally was $121,628 in 2022, with Arizona paying the lowest salary at $70,000, while Tennessee had the highest at $222,252. The report also says that the 2022 national average salaries for state attorneys general was $139,000. New York's AG led the nation with $220,000 while Oregon's $82,200 ranked last. Some lawmakers questioned the wisdom of giving such large raises to top Georgia executives at the same time. Stone Mountain Democratic Sen. Kim Jackson said she supported the higher salaries but had reservations about the raises taking effect this summer instead of waiting until next year when Georgia's next elections for state offices will be held. 'Isn't it true that we typically do salary increases to be effective for the next election cycle, not during the time when people want to see it as a decision,' Jackson said. Albers said he understands why government officials may hold off from publicly requesting better pay in order to avoid being accused of supporting their own pay raises. There is also an added layer of scrutiny about elected officials raising pay during an election year, Albers said. 'We can find a reason each and every year to not do this,' he said. 'This is the right time, the right year to do this.' Under the bill, the General Assembly would approve salaries for Supreme Court justices and judges for the Court of Appeals, state Business Court and Tax Court based on pay of judges for the United States District Court for Northern Georgia, who currently earn $247,400, according to U.S. Courts government website.. The justices could earn equal pay to the federal district court judges while the other state judges could earn 95-99% of the U.S. district court judges. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Brian Kemp could soon tie for the highest-paid governor in the US
Georgia's Brian Kemp could tie New York's Kathy Hochul for the highest-paid state governor under a proposal made Thursday. State senators agreed to amend House Bill 86 to give big pay raises to most of Georgia's statewide elected officials, who are all Republicans. The bill would also raise pay for judges on the state Supreme Court and other statewide courts. The measure would raise Kemp's pay from the $182,000 he made in the budget year that ended June 30 to $250,000. According to figures compiled by New York state government, that would tie Hochul, a Democrat for the most any governor is paid. Maine Gov. Janet Mills makes the least, at $70,000 a year, according to the figures. The House must agree to the bill before it would go to Kemp for his signature or veto, and changes could still be made. Rep. Rob Leverett, an Elberton Republican who sponsors the underlying measure, said he was 'caught completely flat footed' by the amendment and was still trying to decide whether he supported it. TRENDING STORIES: Kohl's store in Gwinnett County is one of 27 stores closing for good this weekend 22-year-old says she started Floyd County wildfire because she was mad at her dad, report says Armed robbers violently attack man on Atlanta Beltline near skate park State Sen. John Albers, a Roswell Republican, said statewide official salaries need updating, noting that Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is now in line to earn a higher salary than Kemp. 'I believe it's time that we stood up and said it's the right thing to do because it's woefully out of date,' said Albers, who made the surprise proposal as Georgia's yearly legislative session nears its end. Other statewide officials including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger would see their pay increase to $200,000 a year. So would Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Insurance Commissioner John King, incoming Labor Commissioner Barbara Rivera Holmes and state schools Superintendent Richard Woods. Currently, those officials earn a range of salaries between the $99,000 that Jones made last year and the $146,000 that Carr earned last year. Also included in the bill is House Speaker Jon Burns, who would see his pay rise from $106,000 to $200,000. The raises would begin July 1, although some senators suggested any change would be more appropriate when officials are sworn in for new terms after upcoming 2026 elections. Jones said if the measure became law, he would donate his raise back to the state treasury. 'Those things need to be vetted better than that,' Jones said immediately after the measure passed. A spokesperson for Kemp declined to comment. Spokespersons for Raffensperger and Carr did not immediately respond to text messages seeking comment.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia's Brian Kemp would tie for the nation's top-paid governor under a pay-raise proposal
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's Brian Kemp could tie New York's Kathy Hochul for the highest-paid state governor under a proposal made Thursday. State senators agreed to amend House Bill 86 to give big pay raises to most of Georgia's statewide elected officials, who are all Republicans. The bill would also raise pay for judges on the state Supreme Court and other statewide courts. The measure would raise Kemp's pay from the $182,000 he made in the budget year that ended June 30 to $250,000. According to figures compiled by New York state government, that would tie Hochul, a Democrat for the most any governor is paid. Maine Gov. Janet Mills makes the least, at $70,000 a year, according to the figures. The House must agree to the bill before it would go to Kemp for his signature or veto, and changes could still be made. Rep. Rob Leverett, an Elberton Republican who sponsors the underlying measure, said he was 'caught completely flat footed' by the amendment and was still trying to decide whether he supported it. State Sen. John Albers, a Roswell Republican, said statewide official salaries need updating, noting that Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is now in line to earn a higher salary than Kemp. 'I believe it's time that we stood up and said it's the right thing to do because it's woefully out of date,' said Albers, who made the surprise proposal as Georgia's yearly legislative session nears its end. Other statewide officials including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger would see their pay increase to $200,000 a year. So would Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Insurance Commissioner John King, incoming Labor Commissioner Barbara Rivera Holmes and state schools Superintendent Richard Woods. Currently, those officials earn a range of salaries between the $99,000 that Jones made last year and the $146,000 that Carr earned last year. Also included in the bill is House Speaker Jon Burns, who would see his pay rise from $106,000 to $200,000. The raises would begin July 1, although some senators suggested any change would be more appropriate when officials are sworn in for new terms after upcoming 2026 elections. Jones said if the measure became law, he would donate his raise back to the state treasury. 'Those things need to be vetted better than that,' Jones said immediately after the measure passed. A spokesperson for Kemp declined to comment. Spokespersons for Raffensperger and Carr did not immediately respond to text messages seeking comment.
Associated Press
27-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Georgia's Brian Kemp would tie for the nation's top-paid governor under a pay-raise proposal
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's Brian Kemp could tie New York's Kathy Hochul for the highest-paid state governor under a proposal made Thursday. State senators agreed to amend House Bill 86 to give big pay raises to most of Georgia's statewide elected officials, who are all Republicans. The bill would also raise pay for judges on the state Supreme Court and other statewide courts. The measure would raise Kemp's pay from the $182,000 he made in the budget year that ended June 30 to $250,000. According to figures compiled by New York state government, that would tie Hochul, a Democrat for the most any governor is paid. Maine Gov. Janet Mills makes the least, at $70,000 a year, according to the figures. The House must agree to the bill before it would go to Kemp for his signature or veto, and changes could still be made. Rep. Rob Leverett, an Elberton Republican who sponsors the underlying measure, said he was 'caught completely flat footed' by the amendment and was still trying to decide whether he supported it. State Sen. John Albers, a Roswell Republican, said statewide official salaries need updating, noting that Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is now in line to earn a higher salary than Kemp. 'I believe it's time that we stood up and said it's the right thing to do because it's woefully out of date,' said Albers, who made the surprise proposal as Georgia's yearly legislative session nears its end. Other statewide officials including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger would see their pay increase to $200,000 a year. So would Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Insurance Commissioner John King, incoming Labor Commissioner Barbara Rivera Holmes and state schools Superintendent Richard Woods. Currently, those officials earn a range of salaries between the $99,000 that Jones made last year and the $146,000 that Carr earned last year. Also included in the bill is House Speaker Jon Burns, who would see his pay rise from $106,000 to $200,000. The raises would begin July 1, although some senators suggested any change would be more appropriate when officials are sworn in for new terms after upcoming 2026 elections. Jones said if the measure became law, he would donate his raise back to the state treasury. 'Those things need to be vetted better than that,' Jones said immediately after the measure passed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bills filed could restructure BREC's leadership, transfer control to city-parish
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Two bills filed for the upcoming Louisiana legislative session could bring significant changes to the operations of BREC, the agency that manages parks and recreational facilities in East Baton Rouge Parish. The bills, House Bill 86 and House Bill 87, were both filed by State Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, on Thursday, March 20. The 2025 legislative session is set to convene on Monday, April 14. Under HB 86, the number of BREC commission members would be reduced from nine to five. Currently, the commission consists of nine members, including: Six appointed members chosen by the Metro Council. Three ex officio members: the mayor-president or a designee, an East Baton Rouge Parish school board member, and a planning commission member. The proposed bill would replace the current structure with a commission made up of the mayors of the following municipalities: Baker Baton Rouge Central St. George Zachary If passed, this change would terminate the terms of all current commissioners and replace them with the mayors of the specified municipalities. Three members would constitute a quorum, making decisions easier to reach with fewer participants. The second bill, HB 87, would repeal all existing statutes governing BREC, effectively eliminating the agency as an independent political subdivision of the state. Instead, the bill would transfer all obligations, property, records, and employees of BREC to the city-parish government. If enacted, this would place BREC under the direct control of the city-parish, rather than as a separate entity created under the Louisiana Disaster Act of the 1940s. BREC has operated independently for decades, managing recreational and park facilities as a political subdivision of the state. Proponents of the bills argue that greater local control and oversight could lead to more efficient operations. However, opponents may raise concerns about politicizing the agency's leadership and potentially impacting BREC's ability to maintain its award-winning parks and programs. The push for restructuring BREC's leadership and transferring control to the city-parish government comes just weeks after a 2022 audit revealed significant financial and operational concerns within the agency. The audit found: Payroll errors: Three employees were paid twice for their final termination payments, resulting in overpayments totaling approximately $42,000. Untimely reconciliations: The agency failed to reconcile bank accounts, payroll benefit liabilities, and inventory accounts in a timely manner, increasing the risk of financial mismanagement. Equipment theft: Multiple instances of theft totaling approximately $29,000 were reported, including stolen catalytic converters, power tools, and electronic equipment from various BREC facilities. BREC management responded to the findings by hiring additional accounting staff and improving financial oversight. The agency also said it is reviewing internal controls and enhancing security measures to prevent further thefts. While the audit is not mentioned in the two bills, the findings could play a role in shaping legislative conversations as the proposed bills move through the 2025 session. Louisiana First News has reached out to BREC for comment. BREC 10-year plan wants to improve East Baton Rouge parks, recreation centers White House: 'Critical functions' will stay under Department of Education Nearly all Cybertrucks recalled in latest blow to Tesla Family of 3 missing in Arizona after Grand Canyon visit Third juvenile arrested in fatal hit-and-run crash that killed bicyclist in New Mexico St. Gabriel police investigate after man found near fertilizer supplier dies Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
