Governor's Salary Commission - Salary Recommendations for Governor and Lieutenant Governor

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 5
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By: The Speaker (By Request – Governor’s Salary Commission)
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

A House Joint Resolution concerning 1

Governor’s Salary Commission – Salary Recommendations for Governor and 2
Lieutenant Governor 3

FOR the purpose of establishing the salaries to be paid the Governor and Lieutenant 4
Governor, as directed by Article II, Section 21A of the Maryland Constitution, for the 5
4–year term of office beginning January 20, 2027. 6

WHEREAS, Article II, Section 21A of the Maryland Constitution established a 7
seven–member Governor’s Salary Commission composed of the State Treasurer, three 8
members appointed by the President of the Senate, and three members appointed by the 9
Speaker of the House of Delegates. The Governor’s Salary Commission is currently 10
constituted as follows: Dereck E. Davis, State Treasurer; Jamar R. Brown, Esq.; Eleanor 11
M. Carey, Esq.; Bruce M. Plaxen, appointed by the President of the Senate; and Susanne 12
Brogan; Anissa M. Walker, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates. The 13
Commission elected Bruce M. Plaxen as Chair; and 14

WHEREAS, Under Article II, Section 21A of the Maryland Constitution, this Joint 15
Resolution may be amended to decrease, but not increase, the salaries recommended by the 16
Governor’s Salary Commission. The salaries may not be decreased below their January 17
2026 levels. If the General Assembly fails to adopt a Joint Resolution in accordance with 18
Article II, Section 21A within 50 calendar days after introduction of this Joint Resolution, 19
the salaries recommended by the Governor’s Salary Com mission shall apply effective 20
January 20, 2027. If the General Assembly amends this Joint Resolution, the salaries 21
specified in the Joint Resolution, as amended, shall apply; and 22

WHEREAS, At the meetings conducted in December 2025, the Commission 23
evaluated gubernatorial compensation relative to a number of principles: changes in the 24
cost of living, maintenance of a reasonable differential between the Governor’s salary and 25
of other major State officials in Maryland as well as Maryland county executives, an d 26
acceptable comparability with salaries of the governors of other states. The Commission 27
selected tentative salaries for the two offices and solicited public views regarding its 28
proposals. Thereafter, the Commission made its final determinations which are presented 29
2 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 5

in this Joint Resolution and discussed in the Commission’s Report, dated January 2026; 1
now, therefore, be it 2

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That under Article 3
II, Section 21A of the Maryland Constitution, the annual salaries rec ommended by the 4
Governor’s Salary Commission be adopted as follows, to be effective January 20, 2027, for 5
the 4–year term of office: 6

Governor: 7

For the first year, $195,000; 8

For the second year, $202,000; 9

For the third year, $202,000; and 10

For the fourth year, $210,000; and 11

Lieutenant Governor: 12

For the first year, $175,000; 13

For the second year, $180,000; 14

For the third year, $180,000; and 15

For the fourth year, $185,000; and be it further 16

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of 17
Legislative Services to the Governor of Maryland; the Lieutenant Governor; and the 18
Secretary of Budget and Management. 19