Beacon Hill Roll Call
Volume 50 – Report No. 17
April 21 – 25, 2025
Copyright © 2025 Beacon Hill Roll Call. All Rights Reserved.
THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House and Senate last week.
During the week of April 21-25, the House met for a total of seven minutes while the Senate met for a total of 25 minutes.
This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call examines the salaries and other benefits received by your state representatives.
NEW HIGHER $82,044 BASE SALARY FOR REPRESENTATIVES – The base salary for the state’s 160 state representatives rose from $73,655 for the 2023-2024 session to $82,044 for the 2025-2026 session. That’s an 11.39 percent hike which means an additional $8,389 per representative. The estimated price tag for the hikes is $1,342,240.
$22,430.96 OR $29,907.95 FOR GENERAL EXPENSES – Each representative also receives an annual general expense pay allowance of $22,430.96 for members who live within a 50-mile radius of the Statehouse and $29,907.95 for those who are located outside of that radius.
EXTRA PAY FOR 108 REPRESENTATIVES – One hundred and eight of the state’s 160 representatives receive an additional stipend, ranging from $7,776.07 to $119,631.81, above the $82,044.31 base salary, for their positions in the Democratic and Republican leadership, as committee chairs, vice chairs and the ranking Republican on some committees. The stipend is increased or decreased every two years based on data from the BEA that measures the quarterly change in salaries and wages.
PARKING SPACES – Legislators are entitled to a parking space inside the Statehouse garage or at the nearby McCormack State Office Building. For 2025, the first $325 in monthly value of the space is a tax-free benefit under federal and state guidelines that apply to all public and private employees, not just state legislators. Any value of the space above this amount is treated as taxable income.
HEALTH INSURANCE – Representatives are eligible to choose from 11 health insurance plans offered by the state’s Group Insurance Commission, which manages the plans for 259,929 individuals—current and retired state workers, as well as certain municipal workers and their dependents. Representatives elected on or before July 1, 2003, pay 20 percent of the total premium and the state pays 80 percent. Those elected to their first term on or after July 1, 2003 pay 25 percent while the state picks up only 75 percent.
LIFE INSURANCE – Representatives who purchase a health insurance policy from the state are also required to buy the state’s basic $5,000 life insurance policy. The costs for employees are based on age and whether the employee is a smoker or non-smoker. They range from 4 cents per month to $2.49 per month. The same 20/80 25/75 formula used for health insurance also applies to this life insurance.
LONG-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE AND HEALTH CARE SPENDING ACCOUNT – Representatives also have the option to open a Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), and to buy long-term disability insurance.
DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE – Representatives are eligible to choose one of two dental/vision insurance plans. Current monthly employee premium costs paid by representatives for family plans range from $15.16 to $20.52, while individual plans range from $4.91 to $6.64. All representatives pay 15 percent of the premium and the state pays 85 percent.
REPRESENTATIVES WHO LIVE 50 MILES FROM THE STATEHOUSE ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE TO PAY A REDUCED OR NO FEDERAL INCOME TAX ON THEIR LEGISLATIVE SALARY.
REPRESENTATIVES ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR PER DIEMS.
TOTAL SALARY FOR REPRESENTATIVES – Here is the total annual salary for local representatives including the three categories of base pay, stipends and general expense pay allowance.
Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian – $126,906.23
Rep. Donald Wong – $126,906.23
For more information and details on each bill, roll call attendance, and other relevant information, please visit the Wakefield Daily Item at www.localheadlinenews.com
