Nebraska Senators vote to raise judges' salaries

LINCOLN – Nebraska judges would get raises under a bill senators advanced Wednesday to increase the salary of Nebraska Supreme Court judges by 5 percent annually over the next two years.

The bill (LB232), introduced by Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha, would increase the judges’ annual pay from its current base of $145,600 to $152,900 in 2013, and again to $160,500 in 2014. It passed with a vote of 26 to 2.

Because the salaries of all Nebraska judges are based on a percentage of what the Supreme Court judges make, this would mean a 5 percent raise for all judges in the state.

Sen. Les Seiler of Has...