North Dakota lawmakers may be getting bigger paychecks during the 2009 Legislature, and one legislator says that's no reason to be ashamed.

"I don't feel one bit guilty about spending 1 percent of the budget on the third branch of government," said Rep. Frank Wald, R-Dickinson.

North Dakota's House voted 63-29 on Thursday to raise legislators' daily pay during sessions from $125 to $140, which represents an increase from $875 to $980 weekly.

When the Legislature is in session, lawmakers are paid for seven days a week of work.

The 12 percent increase would take effect in December 2008, when lawmakers take office after the 2008 elections, said Rep. C.B. "Buck" Haas, R-Taylor.

If the effect of legislative pay raises is calculated on an annual basis since 1985, lawmakers' compensation has gone up less than 2 percent annually, Haas said.

Rep. Phillip Mueller, D-Valley City, said he was uncomfortable with lawmakers voting themselves a pay increase while other worthy initiatives were being defeated.

"If we're going to ask others to be fiscally responsible and do some cutting, then I think we ought to be looking at the same kind of thing from our own standpoint," Mueller said.

The legislation also increases the compensation for lawmakers who attend the Legislature's interim committee meetings between sessions. The reimbursement is now $100 per day; the bill would boost the amount to $125.

The Legislative Council, which is the state Legislature's research arm, estimates the changes will cost $379,547 during the 2007-09 budget period.

The bill is HB1106.