Louisiana lawmakers will have at least 25% turnover

No matter what happens in the Oct. 22 election, about a quarter of Louisiana’s lawmakers won’t return to their same posts in January. While some are being forced out by term limits, more than a dozen are not seeking re-election, according to a tally by The Associated Press. Of the 105 House members, 25 will be leaving with the new term, including 12 who are heading out voluntarily. Eight of 39 senators won’t resume their posts, including two who chose not to seek re-election in the qualifying period that ended last week. Some faced difficult re-election bids were they to try, and some are running for other offices. But several first-term lawmakers have said they realized being in the Legislature wasn’t necessarily what they expected or wanted, costing them too much time away from family, businesses and paychecks, for jobs that are supposed to be part-time. Lawmakers get a base pay of $16,800, plus an expense allowance and several thousand dollars per year for attending meetings and the legislative sessions. An attempt at the start of the last term, in 2008, to more than double their salaries was vetoed by Gov. Bobby Jindal, after strong public outcry.