By Miranda Davis

KU Statehouse Wire Service

TOPEKA – Lawmakers are discussing two bills that could decrease legislators’ spending allowances and halt salary and allowance pay after 90 days of a legislative session.

On Thursday, members of the House General Government Budget Committee discussed House Bill 2487. The bill proposes lowering the per diem — the daily spending allowance each legislator is allocated — from $140 to $129. Under current law, legislators either receive the federal employee per diem amount for Topeka or $109, whichever is higher. The bill would change the provision to a set pay of $129.

The change would save about $170,000 in fiscal year 2017, legislative analysts said. It could also save a small amount this year because the decrease would take effect during the current pay cycle for lawmakers.

Another bill, House Bill 2624. would end salary and per diem at the end of the normal 90-day session. If the legislative session runs longer than 90 days, lawmakers’ compensation would end at that time. However, legislators who travel would still receive compensation for mileage. If the session ended before 90 days, the per diem would end with it.

Rep. Don Hineman, R-Dighton, said the bill could encourage efficiency in government.

However, Rep. Craig McPherson, R-Overland Park, expressed concerns about the legislation because it would force legislators to work for no pay.

HB 2624 wouldn’t save the state any money unless the legislative session continued past the 90-day limit as it did in 2015.

During last year’s record 114-day session, the state paid approximately $900,000 in salaries and per diem for legislators from the end of the standard 90 days until the end of the session, said Tom Day, director of legislative administrative services. That figure doesn’t include staff and administrative costs or money saved from legislators who refused their salaries or per diems during that time.

No action was taken on the bills Thursday.

 

– Edited by Leah Sitz