By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – A state lawmaker doesn’t want taxpayers to pay a lawmaker’s full monthly salary if that person resigns after working for only a single day during that month.

When state Sen. Martin Sandoval steps down from office on Jan. 1, he will get paid for the entire month.

State Rep. Mike Murphy, R-Springfield, said the legislation he filed in January would change that.

“If you resign on the first of the month, you only get paid for one day,” Murphy said. “If you resign on the 15th [day of the month], you only get paid for 15 days. The way it is now, if you resign any day of that month you get compensated for the entire month and I don’t think that’s right.

He said the issue resurfaced when state Rep. Luis Arroyo, D-Chicago, resigned at the beginning of October and got paid for the entire month.

“I think there’s a lot greater [attention] now that the situation with Rep. Arroyo, when he resigned on the first, that brought that bill to light,” Murphy said.

If Arroyo’s replacement had been sworn in a few days after Arroyo’s resigned, there would have been two salaries going out for one legislative district that month.

“And neither one of them participated in veto session,” Murphy said. “Now is that fair? I think common sense will tell you that you shouldn’t get paid for days you don’t work.”

Murphy said he wants Democrats to get on board with his measure, which he called common sense.

“And they were open and receptive and so I think I will get some Democrats to be co-sponsors on that bill and hopefully it will be heard in committee,” Murphy said. “That’s all I’m asking. Let’s talk about it in committee.”

House Bill 818 remains in the House Rules Committee where it’s been since it was first filed in January.

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