Representative Faimealelei Anthony Allen is seeking a $10,000 pay ioncrease for Fono leaders, senators and representatives.
Today the Aua faipule introduced HB 36-4 which would hike the annual salary of the Senate President and House Speaker from $30,000 to $40,000, senators and representaticves from $25,000 to $35,000 and the salary of the Swains Delegate in the House from $20,00 to $30,000.
The bill does not provide a funding source for the salary hike.
The proposed bill would take effect on the first day of the next legislature which would be January 3, 2021.
The law prohibits a sitting legislature from approving a salary increase for themselves.
In addition to their salaries, Fono leaders also receive an expense allowance of $40,000 per year while members receive $30,000 per year.
The last time a bill to increase salaries of lawmakers was introduced was in January of 2016, when Rep Faimealelei proposed a bill to hike the salaries by $20,000.
The bill was passed by the House but was not acted on in the Senate.
In February of last year, Senator Tuaolo proposed a $500 increase to the expense allowance of lawmakers however the non binding measure was never reported out of committee.
