Legislative Income
The Utah Legislature is deemed a part-time job. Legislators are paid only for “official” work—the 45-consecutive days of the annual general session, another 10-15 days of interim committee meetings outside the general session, and depending on seniority and assignments another 5-20 days of task force work or leadership meetings.
For official meetings, legislators also are reimbursed for travel, meals, and lodging. Legislators can opt into the state health insurance plan.
According to the State’s report, the total compensation package for legislators ranges from $25,000 to 40,000/year.
The term “public service” applies to a legislator’s uncompensated informal work, which varies from legislator to legislator between a few hundred hours to well over a thousand each year.
Legislators have campaign accounts for money given by donors. The amount each legislator receives varies greatly. Campaign money is used by each legislator to buy campaign signs, flyers, mailers and other campaign material. Also, this money is used by legislators to help pay for informal travel, housing, and meetings.
Legislators and candidates submit campaign financial reports for contributions and expenses. These financial reports are public.
Some legislators hire personal staff to assist with their work, though this is the exception. Most legislators handle their own phone calls, emails, constituent services, media interactions and calendars.
During the 45-day legislative session each legislator is assigned an intern from a Utah college or university. Some interns work with a single legislator. Others are assigned to work with multiple legislators. These assignments are determined by the amount of work and direction each legislator feels he/she can give an intern.
The House of Representatives and the Senate each have paid staff to help manage the details and function of each body. Also, the Legislature has non-partisan lawyers, policy analysts, fiscal analysts, auditors, and other professionals that are shared by both houses and both parties.