A bill would raise legislative pay and mileage reimbursement rates automatically.

Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, a Carrboro Democrat, said she filed the bill to help pay for state lawmakers keep pace with inflation and increased demands.

When contacted by a reporter, she said she already had visions of editorials and political ads slamming legislators for talking about their own salaries during a bad budget year.

"Somebody is going to say we're feathering our own nest," she said. "Believe me, we don't even have sticks here. It's more like barbed wire."

Under the bill, the annual salary for legislators would increase at the same percentage rate as any across-the-board pay raises for state workers. The mileage reimbursement for legislative travel would also be tied to the federal rate.

Legislators currently make $13,951 and receive a $104 per diem every day they're in session. The mileage rate is currently 29 cents per mile.

In recent years, state workers have gotten raises of a couple percent a year, but they will likely not see any this year or next. The federal mileage rate is currently 55 cents.

A Senate leader wants to make sure the part-time legislature doesn't stay full time.

Sen. Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat, filed a bill last week that would cut off legislators' daily stipend and travel allowances past a certain number of days: 60 days in short sessions held in even-numbered years, or 135 in an odd-numbered years such as this one.

Legislators get $104 per day in so-called per diems, so their annual stipend would be limited to either $6,240 to $14,040.

(During session, per diems include Saturdays and Sundays, even if the legislature does not meet on those days.)

Reps. Grier Martin and Darren Jackson, both Wake County Democrats, currently do not accept per diem. Rep. Ty Harrell did not accept it in previous sessions.

In addition, legislators receive a reimbursement of 29 cents per mile for one round trip a week from home to the state capital. Rep. Roger West of Marble travels the farthest — 720 miles, or $208, round trip.

The bill has a good chance in the Senate. It already has 35 co-sponsors — a supermajority in the 50-member Senate — including both Republicans and Democrats.

No similar bill has yet been filed in the House.

Related: Conservative blogger calls bill "a pretty good first step."