Raise for lawmakers

Rhode Island’s part-time legislators are getting a 2.4-percent raise on Monday.

Days after wrapping up the 2019 session, the raise will boost their annual salaries by $382.91 from $15,958.58 to $16,341.49. The House speaker and the Senate president will get double that amount.

And no, they did not vote to give themselves the raise.

Salaries for state lawmakers are governed by Article VI, Section 3 of the state Constitution, which calls for legislators’ pay to be adjusted annually based on “changes in the cost of living, as determined by the United States government during a 12-month period ending in the immediately preceding year.”

Read more: https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20190701/raise-for-lawmakers