This bill amends the provisions of law governing legislative compensation. The bill removes specific dollar amounts that Legislators may be reimbursed for meal allowances, travel-related expenses of a meal allowance and housing allowances and instead provides that the rate of these allowances must be set by the Legislative Council. These changes apply to allowances for days the Legislature is in session and for days the Legislature is not in session. The bill clarifies that to set the amount of the allowances, at least 6 members of the Legislative Council must vote in favor of the allowance at the beginning of the first regular session in a legislative biennium. The amount of an allowance set by the Legislative Council may not exceed the regular federal per diem rate for lodging, meals and incidental expenses applicable to that allowance. The bill clarifies that for the purposes of allowances for mileage on days that the Legislature is not in session, daily mileage is calculated from the Legislator's place of abode, determined by the most reasonable direct route. The bill amends the provision governing the salary owed to a person who replaces a member of the Legislature who has died or otherwise vacated the office. The bill provides that the successor is entitled to a salary from the date the successor is seated equal to the salary that would have been afforded to the successor had the successor been seated at the start of the biennium, except that the salary must be prorated from the date the successor is sworn into office.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1968, HP 1312: 3.2