HARRISBURG – As the Pennsylvania House of Representatives enters mid-April having only been in voting session five days thus far in 2023, Rep. Paul Schemel (R-Franklin) is highlighting his rationale for wanting to transition Pennsylvania to a part-time legislature.
“Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states with a full-time legislature, with salaries for even rank-and-file lawmakers now in the six figures. The compensation, per diems and other benefits give us the dubious honor of ranking among the nation’s most expensive legislatures,” Schemel said. “We haven’t even been called into session this year for substantive work.”
Schemel has reintroduced legislation seeking to reduce legislative salaries to $25,000 a year and compress session calendars.
“My district in southern Franklin County borders the Mason-Dixon line, and many of my constituents rightly point out that the Maryland General Assembly has already accomplished its work for the entire year. While almost all other state legislatures in the country have already wrapped up and gone home, Pennsylvania has not even gotten started,” Schemel said. “What a colossal waste of both time and money.”
Schemel’s House Bill 293 would amend the 1983 Public Official Compensation Law to update salaries and eliminate health care benefits as a transition to a part-time legislature.
