The Legislative Research Council is guessing that legislators will get close to a $640 raise for the 2027 Session, up 4% from the current $15,790:
SD Median Household income, as reported by the US Census Bureau Current Population Survey, is estimated to be $83,044 for 2025, up from $79,850 in 2024. One fifth of this amount is $16,608.80, which will be the new salary for legislators for the 2027 Session, as required by SDCL 2-4-2. The final request is dependent on the final SD Median Household Income for 2025 when it is released by the US Census Bureau early September. This amount is to be added to the ongoing LRC budget to pay for the increase in legislator salaries [Legislative Research Council, “2028 Budget Request,” presented to Legislative Executive Board 2026.08.26].
If median household income rises to LRC’s predicted level, the resultant 4% raise won’t quite make up for the 4.8% cut legislators took from 2025 to 2026.
How sweet! They get money for doing nothing for 40 “working” days. FORTY DAYS. Mostly yammering, posturing, “meeting”, and then everything gets passed or rejected the last week.
Remember they also get a big per diem to cover their costs and free meals by all the lobbying activities
All proposals for increases in pay or expenses for Legislators, if passed by both houses, must be placed on the ballot of the next general election. If approved by the voters, the legislation will be sent to the governor for signature.
Good news for teachers, Medicaid providers, and state employees, right?
No, Ms. Wismer. When you voted AYE for HB 1311, which ultimately became law, did you really sit there with your mouth agape thinking it would be good news for teachers, Medicaid providers, and state employees?
You should know this. You voted AYE for the bill. It is of no surprise to grudznick that you were clueless then, and now. You should have listened to the lobbists.
No lobbyists bothered me on that one. And why shouldn’t legislators and other government employees keep up with inflation? Seems a pretty common sense issue .
You’re question was if the increase for the legislatures was good news for all these other groupings.
You voted for the bill that sets how the legislatures get raises.
Yet you still ask if that bill helps teachers and Medicaid providers. grudznick correctly points out that you either already knew the answer, or didn’t understand the law bill upon which you voted.
While the topic doesn’t apply well to the legislatures, tomorrow’s Conservatives With Common Sense breakfasting will have a surprise guest deliver the Opening Rant, and then the debates will revolve around how South Dakota is the hardest working state, and the others are slackards.
Take note that it is a Sunday #5, so pack accordingly.
No politician should take a raise this year. They are the ones who got us into this financial mess to begin with. Many people are suffering while the politics of our lives drags on and on and on.
Politicians are in it for themselves and it’s more obvious every day WE all get behind. Republicans should be held accountable and then yes, punished, for being such selfish, hateful idiots.
I’m angry and I’m not letting up as we become a 3rd world country.