The Georgia Legislature on Thursday approved to slash the salary of its members and the lieutenant governor for the 2021 fiscal year.

Citing the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, lawmakers voted to trim their salaries by 10% beginning July 1. The lieutenant governor’s salary will be cut by 14%.

Senate Bill 416, sponsored by Chickamauga Republican state Sen. Jeff Mullis, trims salaries for members of the General Assembly by 10%, to about $15,600 a year, and for Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan by 14%, to just under $55,000, for the 2020 and 2021 budget years.

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The pandemic has blown a massive hole into the state's income and sales tax collections. Budget writers are currently finalizing a blueprint that will cut spending at state agencies by about 10%.

The measure heads to the governor for his signature.

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