PRINTER'S NO. 16
No. 4 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY MOUL, STERN, ARGALL, KAUFFMAN, ADOLPH, BEAR,
BENNINGHOFF, BOYD, DALLY, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRELL,
HUTCHINSON, M. KELLER, KING, McILHATTAN, NAILOR, NICKOL,
READSHAW, STEIL, SWANGER, TRUE, VULAKOVICH, MACKERETH,
DePASQUALE, REED, HARPER, RAPP, MUSTIO, SCHRODER, MURT,
BARRAR, ROAE, MARSHALL, MARSICO, CUTLER, PERRY, CLYMER,
BROOKS AND COX, JANUARY 30, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, JANUARY 30, 2007
A RESOLUTION
1 Amending House Rule 14.
2 RESOLVED, That House Rule 14 be amended to read:
3 RULE 14
4 Members' and Employees' Expenses
5 A member who attends a duly called meeting of a standing or
6 special committee of which he is a member when the House is not
7 in session or who is summoned to the State Capitol or elsewhere
8 by the Speaker, or the Majority or Minority Leader of the House,
9 to perform legislative services when the House is not in session
10 shall be reimbursed per day for each day of service, plus
11 mileage to and from his residence, at such rates as are
12 established from time to time by the Committee on Rules but not
13 in excess of the applicable maximum mileage rate authorized by
14 the Federal Government. For travel to any location for committee
15 meetings or for travel to the State Capitol for any reason,
1 members cannot receive reimbursement in excess of the applicable
2 maximum per diem rate authorized by the Federal Government.
3 These expenses shall be paid by the Chief Clerk from
4 appropriation accounts under his exclusive control and
5 jurisdiction, upon a written request approved by the Speaker of
6 the House, or the Majority or the Minority Leader of the House.
7 An employee of the House summoned by the Speaker or the
8 Majority or Minority Leader of the House to perform legislative
9 services outside of Harrisburg shall be reimbursed for actual
10 expenses and mileage to and from his residence. Such expenses
11 may be paid by the Speaker, Majority or Minority Leader, if they
12 agree to do so, or shall be paid by the Chief Clerk from
13 appropriation accounts under his exclusive control and
14 jurisdiction, upon a written request approved by the Speaker, or
15 the Majority or the Minority Leader. District office employees
16 are only permitted to be reimbursed from an account under the
17 control of the Chief Clerk when traveling to Harrisburg for a
18 training program sponsored by either caucus or for travel to a
19 legislative conference approved by the Speaker, the Majority
20 Leader or the Minority Leader. All other travel by district
21 office employees may be reimbursed from the member's accountable
22 expenses or an account under the control of the Speaker, the
23 Majority Leader or the Minority Leader.
24 No member, nonmember officer or employee may receive any per
25 diem or other reimbursement for allowable expenses, actual
26 expenses, mileage or any other similar expenditures unless,
27 within 90 days of any travel, service or allowable expenditure,
28 a written request, voucher or other documentation is submitted,
29 in compliance with all House Rules, to the Speaker, the Majority
30 Leader, Minority Leader or Chief Clerk for such purposes. In the
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1 case of a catastrophic occurrence which occurs within the 90-day
2 period, a member, nonmember officer or employee shall have 90
3 days after the conclusion of such occurrence to submit a written
4 request, voucher or other documentation.
5 Members and employees traveling outside the Commonwealth of
6 Pennsylvania who receive any reimbursement for expenses or
7 travel which reimbursement is from public funds shall file with
8 the Chief Clerk a statement containing his name and the name,
9 place, date and the purpose of the function.
10 Money appropriated specifically to and allocated under a
11 specific symbol number for allowable expenses of members of the
12 House of Representatives shall be reimbursed to each member upon
13 submission of vouchers and any required documentation by each
14 member on forms prepared by the Chief Clerk of the House. No
15 reimbursement shall be made from this account where a member is
16 directly reimbursed for the same purpose from any other
17 appropriation account.
18 Such allowable expenses of members may be used for any
19 legislative purpose or function, including but not limited to
20 the following:
21 (1) Travel expense on legislative business.
22 (a) Mileage on session or nonsession days at a rate as
23 may be approved from time to time by the Committee on Rules,
24 but not in excess of the maximum mileage rate authorized by
25 the Federal Government for travel; voucher only.
26 (b) Miscellaneous transportation on legislative business
27 (taxi, airport limousine parking, tolls), and expenses of a
28 similar nature; voucher only for any single expense not in
29 excess of $10.
30 (c) Travel on legislative business by common carrier
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1 other than taxi and airport limousine; voucher and receipt
2 from common carrier.
3 (d) Car rental; voucher and receipt from rental agency
4 but reimbursement not to exceed in any month an amount as may
5 be approved from time to time by the Committee on Rules. Any
6 amount in excess of the said amount shall be paid by the
7 person renting the car. In no event shall other than American
8 manufactured cars be rented.
9 (e) Lodging, restaurant charges and other miscellaneous
10 and incidental expenses while away from home. Vouchers only
11 for per diem allowance approved from time to time by the
12 Committee on Rules, but not in excess of the applicable
13 maximum per diem rate authorized by the Federal Government or
14 for actual expenses not in excess of such per diem rate.
15 (2) Administrative, clerical and professional services for
16 legislative business, except for employment of spouses or any
17 relatives, by blood or marriage.
18 (a) Administrative and clerical services; voucher and
19 receipt from person employed.
20 (b) Professional services; voucher and receipt and copy
21 of agreement or contract of employment.
22 (3) Rent for legislative office space; purchase of office
23 supplies; postage; telephone and answering services; printing
24 services and rental only of office equipment; voucher and
25 vendor's receipt, except for postage expense. No reimbursement
26 or expenditure shall be made out of any appropriation account
27 for any mass mailing including a bulk rate mailing made at the
28 direction or on behalf of any member which is mailed or
29 delivered to a postal facility within 60 days immediately
30 preceding any primary or election at which said member is a
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1 candidate for public office.
2 Mass mailing shall mean a newsletter or similar mailing of
3 more than 50 pieces in which the content of the matter is
4 substantially identical. Nothing in this rule shall apply to any
5 mailing which is in direct response to inquiries or requests
6 from persons to whom matter is mailed, which is addressed to
7 colleagues in the General Assembly or other government officials
8 or which consists entirely of news releases to the
9 communications media.
10 (4) Official entertainment--restaurant and beverage charges;
11 voucher only for expenses. Receipts for entertainment expenses,
12 together with a statement of the reason for the expense, shall
13 be submitted with the request for reimbursement.
14 (5) Purchase of flags, plaques, publications, photographic
15 services, books, and other similar items in connection with
16 legislative activities; voucher and vendor's receipt.
17 (6) Communications and donations in extending
18 congratulations or sympathy of illness or death; voucher only on
19 expenses not in excess of $35.
20 No money appropriated for members' and employees' expenses
21 shall be used for contributions to political parties or their
22 affiliated organizations or to charitable organizations or for
23 charitable advertisements.
24 All disbursements made, debts incurred or advancements paid
25 from any appropriation account made to the House or to a member
26 or nonmember officer under a General Appropriation Act or any
27 other appropriation act shall be recorded in a monthly report
28 and filed with the Chief Clerk by the person authorized to make
29 such disbursement, incur any debt or receive any advancement on
30 a form prescribed by the Chief Clerk.
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1 The Chief Clerk shall prescribe the form of all such reports
2 and make such forms available to those persons required to file
3 such reports. Such report form shall include:
4 (1) As to personnel:
5 (a) The name, home address, job title, brief description
6 of duties and where they are performed, department or member
7 or members to whom assigned, the name of immediate supervisor
8 and minimum hours of employment per week of each employee.
9 (b) The appropriation account from which such employee
10 is compensated, the amount of compensation and whether such
11 person is on salary, per diem or contract.
12 (2) As to all other expenditures:
13 (a) To whom it was paid, the amount thereof, and the
14 nature of the goods, services or other purpose for which the
15 expenditure was made.
16 (b) The appropriation account from which the expenditure
17 was made and the name or names of the person or persons
18 requesting and/or authorizing the same.
19 A copy of each such report shall also be filed with the
20 Special Committee on Internal Affairs and House Administration
21 for use in the performance of its duties under Rule 47(a).
22 The reporting requirements as to personnel may be fulfilled
23 by the maintenance in the Office of the Chief Clerk of the House
24 of an alphabetized file containing the current information for
25 each employee as set forth above.
26 All monthly reports filed on disbursements made or debts
27 incurred by any officer or member or employee from
28 appropriations made to the House or to a member or nonmember
29 officer under any General Appropriation Act, and the
30 documentation for each disbursement, shall be public information
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1 and shall be available for public inspection during regular
2 business hours in the office of the Chief Clerk. The Chief Clerk
3 shall prescribe reasonable rules and regulations for inspection
4 of such reports but in no case shall inspection be denied to any
5 person for a period exceeding 48 hours (excluding Saturdays and
6 Sundays) from the time a written request has been submitted to
7 the Chief Clerk. Photocopies of such reports shall be made
8 available upon request to a member at no charge or to the public
9 for a duplication fee as may be fixed by the Chief Clerk. Such
10 reports shall be made available to a member or to the public on
11 or before the last day of the month next succeeding the month in
12 which the report was filed.
13 All vouchers and requisitions relating to all expenditures,
14 expenses, disbursements and other obligations out of all
15 appropriated funds of the House, and the documentation
16 evidencing payment of the vouchers and requisitions, shall be
17 available for public inspection during regular business hours in
18 the office of the Chief Clerk or at such other location within
19 the Capitol as the Chief Clerk shall prescribe. Nothing in this
20 rule shall require release of any information deemed
21 confidential, including, but not limited to, a telephone number,
22 a credit card number and a Social Security number.
23 All requests to review payroll and independent contractor
24 records of the House or any other vouchers or requisitions for
25 funds appropriated to the House shall be made to the Chief
26 Clerk, in writing, at least three working days prior to the date
27 on which the review is requested. The request shall be signed by
28 the party who will be making the review and it shall indicate
29 the name of the organization or entity employing such
30 individual. The Chief Clerk shall establish a time during normal
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1 business hours for the review to occur and he shall provide that
2 the review shall not interfere with the necessary functioning of
3 the Chief Clerk's office.
4 All requests for reimbursement out of any appropriation shall
5 be accompanied by a voucher, or other documents where required,
6 evidencing payment or approval. The voucher form shall be
7 approved and supplied by the Chief Clerk. Receipts or
8 documentation of every expenditure or disbursement which is in
9 excess of the maximum amount as set forth herein shall be
10 attached to the voucher. Where a request for payment is made in
11 advance of an expense actually incurred, the Chief Clerk, before
12 making such advance payment shall require a description
13 satisfactory to the Chief Clerk of the item or service to be
14 purchased or the expense to be incurred, and a receipt or other
15 documentation shall be given to the Chief Clerk after the item
16 or service has been purchased or expense incurred as evidence
17 that such advancement was in fact expended for such purpose.
18 All reports, vouchers and receipts from which reports are
19 prepared and filed shall be retained by the Chief Clerk, officer
20 or member, as the case may be, for such period of time as may be
21 necessary to enable the Legislative Audit Advisory Commission
22 created pursuant to the act of June 30, 1970 (P.L.442, No.151)
23 to conduct, through certified public accountants appointed by
24 it, annual audits to assure that such disbursements made or
25 debts incurred were in accordance with Legislative Audit
26 Advisory Commission guidelines and standards as approved by the
27 Committee on Rules, or for a minimum of three years, whichever
28 is longer. All annual audit reports shall be available for
29 public inspection. Photocopies of such reports shall be
30 available for a fee established by the Chief Clerk not to exceed
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1 the cost of duplication.
2 All expenditures of funds appropriated to the House or to a
3 member or nonmember officer shall be subject to the expenditure
4 guidelines established by the Rules Committee. The Rules
5 Committee shall establish standards regarding documentation
6 evidencing payment out of any appropriations account made to the
7 House or to a member or nonmember officer.
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