Governor Brad Henry signs bill to hike state worker pay

<br>(Oklahoma City-AP) -- State workers will receive pay raises totaling $2,100 over the next two years under a bill signed Thursday by Governor Henry.<br><br>More than 35,000 state workers will receive

Thursday, April 15th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- State workers will receive pay raises totaling $2,100 over the next two years under a bill signed Thursday by Governor Henry.

More than 35,000 state workers will receive a $1,400 raise on January 1st. House Bill 2005 also calls for a $700 pay increase next July.

The governor says the raises are long overdue for dedicated Oklahoma workers. The raises will be the first salary increases for state employees in three years.

House staff members project the raises will cost $23.6-million in fiscal year 2005 and about $71-million annually when they're fully implemented.

Elected officials, cabinet officers and agency directors who are cabinet officers are not eligible for the pay increase.