ST. PAUL, Minn. - Two Minnesota lawmakers are suing the state House and Speaker Kurt Daudt over the decision not to pay legislators a $14,000 raise.
Minnesota voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2016 that handed the power over lawmaker pay to an independent council. The council raised pay from $31,000 to $45,000 annually
State senators started receiving the higher pay earlier this month, but Daudt said he wouldn't pay to cover those higher salaries for 134 House members and blocked them.
A Republican and Democratic representative joined to challenge that decision Thursday. Republican Rep. Marion O'Neill says it's difficult to make ends meet on their current salary.
A Minnesota judge dismissed a previous lawsuit surrounding the pay issue, saying a lawmaker would need to sue.