OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, is again pursuing legislation that would send to a vote of the people a question regarding future legislative pay changes.

West is drafting a resolution to require a statewide vote to determine whether legislative pay increases or decreases should face a vote of the people each time they are recommended. House bills and resolutions must be filed by Jan. 15. The next legislative session convenes Feb. 2.

"I made a promise to the people in my district that I would attempt to let them vote on whether or not legislators deserved a pay raise," West said.

West said this would not do away with the Oklahoma Legislative Compensation Board or the Statewide Official Compensation Commission, both of which have the same members appointed by the governor, the speaker of the House and the president pro tem of the state Senate as well as non-voting members from the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

These entities could still meet to make the recommendation for legislative pay and explain their rationale, West said, but the ultimate decision would be in the hands of voting Oklahomans.

West has filed identical resolutions since being re-elected to serve his House district in 2020. None have ever advanced from committee.

"I'm hopeful this will be the year this advances," West said.

West declined to take a 35% increase in legislative pay that was approved by the Compensation Board for state lawmakers starting in 2019. At the time, West was not in office. But, he said he pledged to voters that upon taking his seat in 2020, he would instead donate the amount to charities in his House district.

The board in 2023 voted to increase by 5% stipends paid to legislative leaders. This year, both the board and the commission voted to increase base legislative pay by $7,400 – from $47,500 to $54,900. Also approved were bonus stipends of $27,450 for leaders of both legislative chambers, as well as $18,117 for others in legislative leadership positions.

West said these amounts exceed the median household income of $50,027 in LeFlore County, where his House District 3 is located.