SANTA FE, N.M – Lawmakers in New York State make more than $140,000 a year. Their counterparts in New Hampshire bring in just $100. In New Mexico, legislators receive a per diem, mileage and retirement benefits, but they are the only lawmakers in the country who don't get a penny for the actual work they do.
"I found myself in this place where I'm still working full time at my regular job, I've got a 3-year-old kid at home," says Kay Bounkeua about the challenges of the unpaid work. Bounkeua was selected in 2021 to fill a vacancy in the state House of Representatives after a Democrat stepped down during a corruption investigation.
