THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY ROAE, MURT, TRUITT, DEASY, DUNBAR, MAHER, MUNDY, REED, SCAVELLO, SWANGER AND TALLMAN, OCTOBER 1, 2012

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, OCTOBER 1, 2012  

AN ACT

Providing for per diem payments for members of the House of

Representatives.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Per diem payments for members of the House of

Representatives.

(a)  General rule.--A member who:

(1)  attends a duly called meeting of a standing or

special committee of which he or she is a member when the

House of Representatives is not in session;

(2)  is the prime sponsor of a bill being considered at a

duly called meeting of a standing or special committee and

participates in the meeting for the purpose of consideration

of the bill when the House of Representatives is not in

session;

(3)  testifies at a duly called meeting of a standing or

special committee when the House of Representatives is not in

session;

(4)  is summoned to the State Capitol or elsewhere by the

Speaker of the House of Representatives, or the Majority or

Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, to perform

legislative services on a weekday when the House of

Representatives is not in session;

(5)  conducts legislative service or performs a

State-related job duty on a weekday when the House of

Representatives is not in session, including, but not limited

to, attending caucus meetings, participating in

State-sponsored events such as the Pennsylvania Farm Show,

touring State facilities, participating in meetings with the

Governor's Office or a State department, board or commission,

preparing for session or legislative meetings, working on

legislation and other similar purposes; or

(6)  is present in the Capitol on a nonsession day

immediately following a session day exclusively due to

inclement weather, to a medical condition of the member that

prevents the member from safely operating a motor vehicle, to

a late adjournment or late recess of the House of

Representatives or to such other unforeseeable event that

prevents the member from leaving the Capitol as approved by

the Chief Clerk,

shall be reimbursed per day for each day of service, at such

rates as are established from time to time by the Committee on

Rules but not in excess of the applicable maximum mileage rate

authorized by the Federal Government. Mileage to and from the

member's residence shall be reimbursed as provided by rule of

the House of Representatives.

(b)  Limitation.--Reimbursement of a member under subsection

(a)(5) and (6) shall be limited to not more than 52 days

annually.

(c)  Nonsession days.--Except as otherwise provided in this

section, no member shall be entitled to a per diem for a day

when the House of Representatives is not in session:

(1)  for attending a meeting of a standing or special

committee of which he or she is not a member;

(2)  if the day is an official holiday of the House of

Representatives and the staff of the House of Representatives

has been advised that the House of Representatives will be

closed that day and the staff is not required to report to

work, unless the official holiday is the day immediately

before a session day or the day immediately after a session

day; or

(3)  if the day is a Saturday or Sunday, unless it is the

day immediately before a session day or the day immediately

after a session day.

Section 2.  Inconsistent rules.

Any rule of the House of Representatives is hereby abrogated

to the extent of any inconsistency with this act.

Section 3.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.