In the near future, I will re-introduce legislation (HB 1344 of 2023-24 Session) that will end the flat-rate per diems provided to members of the General Assembly and will, from hereafter, only reimburse members for expenses upon receipt of documentation of the expense.
 
Members of the General Assembly are entrusted by the constituents they serve to be good stewards of the taxpayer’s money. The current practice of flat rate per diems sometimes pays tens of thousands of additional dollars to individual legislators on top of their salaries, whether or not the legislator actually incurred those expenses. Although the flat-rate system is simpler, it is far from transparent and far from the ability of anyone to achieve a full accounting of actual expenses. Modern technology makes the requirement of submitting receipts a miniscule burden – a burden worth the cost of restoring the public’s trust in the General Assembly’s handling of its financial affairs.
 
Co-sponsors from last session include B. MILLER, FLICK, STAMBAUGH, D'ORSIE, GREINER, ROSSI, HANBIDGE, ROAE, KAUFFMAN, ADAMS, ZIMMERMAN, LAWRENCE, BOROWICZ AND BARTON.
 
Please join me in sponsoring this legislation to ensure members of the General Assembly are reimbursed only for expenses that are actually incurred.
 

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 1142: P.L.160, No.39