State Public Defender Board members are looking for a workaround, noting that even though the "salary" for the State Chief Defender is $80K,  there may be some benefits,  allowances or other things that can bring compensation up to a competitive level.   There is no debate that the "annual salary" of the State Chief Defender is $80,000.   Barring any immediate solution, a minor technical amendment providing that the word "compensation" be subbed for "salary" and eliminating "as provided in R.S. 13:311" would do the trick.  Perhaps that could get done in a special session.

Act 307 makes the compensation that of  a "Judge of the Court of Appeal" but specifies its source:

R.S. 13 § 311   Salaries
The salary of each judge of the courts of appeal in this state shall be eighty thousand dollars per annum, payable monthly on his own warrant. However, the chief judges of the courts of appeal shall be entitled to a pay differential, in an amount not to exceed five percent, which amount shall be included in the judicial budget, to compensate for administrative duties of the position of chief judge.
 

The assumption during the Legislative Session was that "equal in amount to a judge of the courts of appeal in this state" would mean the total salary compensation of such a judge,  which is currently around $125,000 a year and will go up to $135,000 or so in another year or two.  However, by adding reference to 13:311, the Act limited the figure to its express terms, and may prevent the State Board from using all the various sources of compensation of Court of Appeal judges and getting to the total package.

Salary of the Appeals Court Judges includes enhancements provided by other statutes,  in Title 13 and elsewhere.  They would all need to be referenced to total the intended figure.  The provision is the same as the Gaming Board Chairman's compensation in R.S. 27:14.  Nobody took the time to consider whether 13:311 was enough.  It was not.  

Intent doesn't help much absent some vagueness.  No apparent vagueness here.  Not a sufficient ticket to attract much interest.  In fact, it may be lower than the current salary of the LIDAB Director!