SC H5018

Salaries for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor would be determined by the Agency Head Salary Commission with recommendations to the General Assembly, beginning when terms start on January 20, 2027.

The Agency Head Salary Commission would be required to authorize a salary study every four years for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, comparing job duties and pay to counterparts in other states.

Current statutory salaries are $98,000 for the Governor and $43,000 for the Lieutenant Governor; these fixed amounts would be replaced by commission-recommended salaries subject to appropriations.

The commission consists of 11 members: four appointed by the House Ways and Means chair, four by the Senate Finance chair, and three by the Governor with executive compensation experience.

The bill extends existing salary-setting procedures already used for other constitutional officers (Secretary of State, Attorney General, etc.) to now include the Governor and Lieutenant Governor.