Legislators officially began work to increase their own pay on Tuesday as an Iowa House subcommittee advanced House Study Bill 750. All three members of the subcommittee approved the proposal.
The bill would increase pay to legislators by $10,000 beginning in the 2025 session. It also applies a cost-of-living adjustment equal to the average of the annual cost-of-living pay adjustments negotiated for the members of the collective bargaining units represented by the state police officers council labor union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Iowa United Professionals beginning in 2026.
Salaries will also be increased for statewide elected executive officials and the cost-of-living adjustment will apply to them as well.
Republican State Rep. Steve Holt said nobody in politics wants to talk about giving themselves a pay raise, but the reality is there hasn’t been an increase since 2007. And without action, he fears the composition of the legislature will change moving forward.
“The unfortunate reality we face is, do we want our legislature made up of a bunch of rich folks and retired folks,” he said. “Because that’ll be the only ones who can afford to serve up here. Or do we want the representation of the legislature to be based upon the people of Iowa?”
Holt said the chamber lost a member this year because that member’s wife is pregnant and they can’t afford to stay in the legislature.
“It’s lousy,” Holt said. “Nobody wants to vote themselves a pay raise, but something has to be done or the representation of the people will be profoundly different than it is now. And I don’t think it’s something that any of us want.”
Democrat State Rep. Adam Zabner agreed with Holt that it is important to have a representative government.
“There are plenty of talented people around the state and my hope is that this legislation will help them serve their communities,” he said.
Republican State Rep. Joel Fry said he agrees with the modest increase.
The bill moves to the full Appropriations Committee in the House.
