What a difference six years can make.

When former Democratic Attorney General Jan Graham was in office, on at least one occasion a GOP House member rose to move that her pay actually be cut — such was the dislike for how Graham sometimes opposed what Republicans wanted to do.

But Friday, a GOP-sponsored bill would tie the attorney general's salary to 95 percent of what the governor gets or a district judge's salary, whichever was greater. That means the attorney general could actually make more than the governor.

Sponsoring Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, pointed out that the new salary would not take effect for the current AG Mark Shurtleff, a Republican. The pay hike comes after the next election in 2008. "So this has nothing to do" with current personalities, said Christensen.

Shurtleff makes $85,400, the governor $101,600 and a district judge $102,000. So Christensen's bill would lead to a raise of more than $11,000 for the attorney general.

Rep. Scott Wyatt, R-Logan, said the Cache County attorney makes more than the AG today, as do most other full-time county attorneys in Utah. And 50 assistant attorneys general make more money today than Shurtleff. The bill passed 41-30.