Ron Williams wrote an interesting column yesterday about legislative pay and the so-called “double dippers.” Here’s an interesting nugget from that story, the AG’s office determined that it was perfectly legal by the state laws that legislators could be paid for not showing up to committee meetings.
“We conclude that the relevant statute does not authorize the legislator’s state job pay to be docked under your scenario” if they don’t attend a committee meeting, Biden wrote to Wynne.
Legislators can receive several thousand dollars in extra pay depending on the type of committee they serve on. “There is no … provision when a legislator is absent from legislative business,” the opinion said. (Now we know why Sen. Colin R.J.M.A.B.C.D. Bonini, R-Dover South, is so often absent from committees.)
“As a result, each legislator in this situation has the discretion to double-dip without the consequences set forth in the policy,” Biden ruled.
This should change. I think this is something that all proponents of good government should get behind, regardless of party or ideology. It shouldn’t be too difficult to propose a legislative fix that requires legislators to document their hours spent on legislative business – especially attendance to caucus meetings, committee meetings and legislative sessions.