The citizens commission that sets salaries for the state's elected officials recommended Wednesday lawmakers continue to be reimbursed with per diem and mileage rates set by the U.S. General Services Administration.
State lawmakers living more than 50 miles from the Capitol are now paid a per diem of $153 per day for attending meetings in Little Rock, while those living within 50 miles of the Capitol are paid a reduced per diem of $59 per day, legislative officials said. Per diem is the allowance for lodging, meals and incidental expenses.
Lawmakers also are paid 54 cents per mile driven. The General Services Administration periodically adjusts per diem and mileage rates.
The Independent Citizens Commission -- created by Amendment 94 to the Arkansas Constitution -- boosted the salaries of representatives and senators from $15,869 a year to $39,500, and those for the House speaker and Senate president pro tempore from $17,771 a year to $45,000, effective March 29, 2015. That came after lawmakers enacted legislation eliminating their eligibility for up to $14,400 a year in reimbursements for certain office-related expenses as part of an agreement with the commission.
On Wednesday, the commission made its recommendation on per diem and mileage rates after commission Chairman Larry Ross of Sherwood said he takes "full responsibility of the oversight" of not calling a meeting on those matters at least 90 days before the Jan. 9 start of the regular legislative session. The 90-day requirement is specified in Amendment 94.
"I'll take my seventh of that responsibility," said Commissioner Barbara Graves of Little Rock.
Ross said he's asked Assistant Attorney General Nga Mahfouz to develop a matrix of Amendment 94's annual required meetings of the commission, "so we can kind of know when our meetings are and should be."
Afterward, Ross said the commission previously mentioned the possibility of meeting "somewhere around June" to consider granting cost-of-living raises for the state's elected officials next year.
Amendment 94, approved by voters in November 2014, also increased the number of years that lawmakers can serve in the House, Senate or in both chambers; barred lawmakers from accepting certain gifts, such as meals in one-on-one meetings with lobbyists; and prohibited direct corporation and union contributions to candidates.
Beyond Ross and Graves, the other commission members are Chuck Banks of Little Rock, Mitch Berry of Little Rock, Stuart Hill of Searcy, Brenda James of Little Rock and Stephen Tipton of Cabot.
In December 2014, Ross and Graves were appointed by then-Gov. Mike Beebe and Banks was appointed by then-Chief Justice Jim Hannah. Then-House Speaker Davy Carter, R-Cabot, appointed Berry and Tipton, while Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, appointed James and Hill.
NW News on 12/19/2016