ON APRIL 29, 2021, THE SENATE SUBSTITUTED HOUSE BILL 1401 FOR SENATE BILL 1400, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2, AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1401, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #2 adds that a member of the general assembly will be paid a mileage allowance per mile in accordance with present law when using a personally owned vehicle, regardless of the type of vehicle used. However, if a member uses a personally owned vehicle other than an automobile as the member's mode of transportation, the total amount reimbursed for travel may not exceed the amount the member would have received if the member had traveled by automobile.
Present law provides that each member is to be paid an expense allowance equal to the allowance granted federal employees for expenditure reimbursement for the Nashville area for each legislative day, which is defined as each day the general assembly, or either house thereof, officially convenes for the transaction of business, or for each day in attendance at any such other meeting as described in present law. This amendment rewrites this provision to instead provide that for each legislative day, which is defined as each day the general assembly, or either house thereof, officially convenes for the transaction of business, or for each day in attendance at any such other meeting as described in present law, each member must be paid an expense allowance:
(A) For meals and incidentals in an amount equal to the allowance granted federal employees for such expenses in the Nashville area; and
(B) For lodging in an amount equal to: the annual average hotel rate for the previous calendar year in the Nashville central business district, as provided by the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation or their successor organization, if obtainable; or the allowance granted federal employees for lodging expenses in the Nashville area.
This amendment clarifies that members who live within 50 miles of the capitol may be reimbursed for travel on Fridays if the member is participating in a meeting on a Friday.
This amendment increases the monthly expense allowance for members of the general assembly from $1,000 to $1,250. On the date of the statewide general election in 2024 and on the date of the statewide general election every two years thereafter, this amendment requires that the monthly expense allowance be adjusted to reflect the percentage increase in the average consumer price index for the two-year period immediately preceding. Each such adjustment must be rounded up to the nearest multiple of $100.
This amendment deletes present law that limits each member of the house of representatives to one round trip each week from such representative's home to the seat of government when the general assembly is not in session to attend meetings for which reimbursement is otherwise authorized by this section.
The provisions added by this amendment will take effect November 8, 2022.

Statutes affected:
Current Version: 3-1-106(c), 3-1-106