House GOP leader proposes pay hikes for correctional officers

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- The state House's top Republican has filed legislation to raise the salaries of state correctional officers by six-thousand dollars a year. <br><br>The measure filed by Minority

Saturday, January 13th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- The state House's top Republican has filed legislation to raise the salaries of state correctional officers by six-thousand dollars a year.

The measure filed by Minority leader Fred Morgan of Oklahoma City also would provide extra compensation for risky jobs.

Morgan says the state asks correctional officers to risk their lives to preserve the public's safety. But Morgan says the state doesn't compensate them properly

He says it's shameful that the starting pay for a correctional officer is barely over eight dollars an hour.

Under Morgan's bill, entry-level salaries for all correctional officers would be raised 21 percent. A new correctional officer is currently paid 13-hundred-85 dollars a month.