WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 2687

An Act amending the act of September 30, 1983 (P.L.160, No.39), known as the Public Official Compensation Law, further providing for judicial salaries, for compensation of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, State Treasurer, Auditor General, Attorney General, Commissioners of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and heads of departments and for members of the General Assembly.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bryan Cutler and 10 co-sponsors

HB 2687 standardizes and publishes inflation-based salary increases for PA officials and legislators using a defined CPI-based method (lesser of CPI-U area vs CPI-W nationwide).

Referred to State Government
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 2687

Overview

HB 2687 (2026) from Pennsylvania proposes amendments to the Public Official Compensation Law (1983) to adjust how salaries and annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are calculated and applied for judicial salaries, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, other statewide constitutional officers, heads of departments, PUC commissioners, and General Assembly members and leaders. The bill focuses on COLA methodology and transparency in setting authorized salary amounts.

Purpose and intent

  • To update and standardize the annual cost-of-living adjustments for a broad set of state officials and legislators.
  • To require that COLAs be computed using a specified methodology (the lesser of two CPI measures) and published promptly.
  • To ensure adjustments track inflation while tying new salary amounts to pre-determined current salary levels.

Key provisions and changes

  • Judicial salaries (Section 2.1(i)(1)):

    • Maintains the annual COLA schedule starting January 1, with increases limited to the lesser of:
    • CPI-U change for the Pennsylvania-NJ-DE-MD area, and
    • CPI-W nationwide.
    • The exact percentage and new salary figures must be determined prior to the adjustment date and published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin within 20 days of determination.

  • Compensation of top officials and department heads (Section 3, subsection (e)):

    • Applies the same COLA framework to:
    • Governor and Lieutenant Governor
    • State Treasurer
    • Auditor General
    • Attorney General
    • Heads of departments
    • Members of boards and commissions listed in the act
    • The Governor determines the percentage increase; the Secretary of the Budget publishes the new salary amounts in the Pennsylvania Bulletin within 10 days of the determination.

  • General Assembly members (Section 4, subsections (d) and (d.1)):

    • For members and for officers/leaders, annual COLAs would be calculated using the same CPI-based method (lesser of CPI-U area vs. CPI-W nationwide) for the 12-month period ending prior to the adjustment.
    • The Chief Clerks of the Senate and House jointly determine the new salary amounts or compensation, with publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin within specified timeframes (10 days in one subsection, 20 days in another) prior to the adjustment taking effect.

  • Effective date:

    • The act includes a 60-day effectiveness period after passage.

Who/what is affected

  • Judges and judicial salaries
  • Governor and Lieutenant Governor
  • State Treasurer, Auditor General, Attorney General
  • Heads of state departments
  • Members of Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) and related boards/commissions
  • Members and leaders of the General Assembly

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Salaries and COLAs are tied to annual determinations just before their effective dates.
  • Adjustments are published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, with specific publication deadlines (ranging from 10 to 20 days after determination).
  • Effective date of the act itself is 60 days after enactment, after which the new framework governs future COLAs.

Bottom line

HB 2687 seeks to harmonize and codify how inflation-linked increases are computed and disclosed for nearly all major Pennsylvania state officials and legislators, anchoring increases to a defined CPI-based formula and increasing transparency through published determinations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.