CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A typographical error may be to blame for the uproar over part of the legislative pay raise bill that's taking effect sooner than the public thought.

The pay raise bill approved this session reads as if all its monetary increases don't take effect until 2009. That's when a new Legislature will be seated, and after elections for the entire House and the Senate.

But supporters say an increase to daily payments for non-commuting lawmakers was supposed to be retroactive to January 1st of this year.

The typo obscures that trigger date, but House and Senate leaders are sticking with the original intent. As a result, senators have received extra payments totaling more than $25,000 for their work so far this year.

The additional total compensation for delegates is estimated at up to $85,200.

The typo doesn't affect the 2009 start date for the bill's $5,000 increase to annual legislative salaries.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)