PRINTER'S NO. 26
No. 7 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY EARLL, KUKOVICH AND MOWERY, JANUARY 22, 2001
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, JANUARY 22, 2001
A RESOLUTION
1 Amending Senate Financial Operating Rule III.
2 RESOLVED, That Senate Financial Operating Rule III be amended
3 to read:
4 III. MEALS AND LODGING
5 1. General.
6 A Member may receive payments attributable to ordinary and
7 necessary expenses for meals, lodging and incidental items
8 provided that the Member is engaged in the performance of
9 legislative duties. [Depending on the nature and location of the
10 activity, as explained below, payments may be made in one of the
11 following forms: per diem allowance;] Payment shall be made in
12 the form of reimbursement for actual costs incurred[; or, in the
13 case of lodging rental payments, a combination of partial per
14 diem allowance and reimbursement of the cost of lodging rental].
15 2. Lodging Rental in the Harrisburg Area.
16 A Member who resides outside of Harrisburg and who rents
17 lodging in the Harrisburg area may claim payments for the cost
18 of the lodging lease and related expenses. No lodging rental
1 payments will be made for any period after a Member's term
2 expires.
3 [3. Per Diem Allowance.
4 (a) Per Diem Entitlement.
5 A Member is entitled to receive a per diem allowance for each
6 day the Member is in the performance of legislative duties while
7 in the Harrisburg area (defined as within Dauphin County or
8 otherwise within a 10-mile radius of the Capitol) or elsewhere
9 in the Commonwealth but away from home. Specific legislative
10 duties include attendance at sessions of the Senate, attendance
11 at official committee meetings and participation in all other
12 activities necessary or appropriate to the carrying out of the
13 responsibilities of the Member.
14 (b) Types of Per Diem Allowance.
15 (1) Full Per Diem. A full per diem allowance not to
16 exceed such amount as maybe established by the Senate
17 Committee on Management Operations may be claimed as an
18 allowance for meals and lodging.
19 (2) Partial Per Diem. A Member who claims the cost of
20 lodging rental as provided in Rule III.2., may not receive a
21 full per diem allowance except when the per diem entitlement
22 derives from attendance at official committee meetings
23 outside of the Harrisburg area. When the per diem entitlement
24 derives from the performance in the Harrisburg area of the
25 specified legislative duties defined in Rule III.3.(a), a
26 Member may receive a partial per diem allowance up to an
27 amount established by the Senate Committee on Management
28 Operations for meals and incidentals.]
29 4. Actual Costs.
30 A Member may claim actual costs for lodging, meals and other
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1 incidental items incurred in the performance of legislative
2 duties. [Expense claims for costs of lodging, meals and other
3 incidental expenses incurred in the performance of legislative
4 duties outside of the Commonwealth shall only be by claims for
5 actual costs and shall not be through a claim of per diem.]
6 5. Employees' Travel.
7 If an employee is engaged in travel away from the normally
8 assigned place of work necessary for the performance of official
9 business, the employee may be reimbursed for reasonable actual
10 cost of lodging, meals and other incidental items. For rules
11 regarding Out-of-State travel, see Rule XI.
12 6. Payment From One Source.
13 If a Member is entitled to a meal and lodging claim from more
14 than one source for legislative business performed on behalf of
15 more than one committee or group, payments shall be received
16 from only one source.
17 7. Review.
18 All authorized and approved meals and lodging claims shall be
19 reviewed for inadvertent duplication by the Office of the Chief
20 Clerk prior to processing and payment.
21 8. Record Keeping.
22 Where [a per diem allowance or] reimbursement is paid by a
23 legislative service agency cofunded between both Houses of the
24 General Assembly, a copy of the approved claim shall be
25 furnished to the Office of the Chief Clerk.
26 9. Documentation.
27 [(a) Per Diem Allowance.
28 For payment of a per diem allowance, a Member must submit a
29 voucher showing the date, the legislative activity in which the
30 Member was engaged on that date, and the location of the
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1 activity.]
2 (b) Actual Expenses of a Member or an Employee.
3 For payment of actual expenses, a Member or employee must
4 [submit a voucher showing the date, amount, place and the
5 legislative activity in which the Member or employee was engaged
6 and must] submit a vendor or credit card receipt or invoice for
7 each item exceeding $10.
8 (c) Lodging Rental.
9 A copy of each lease must be on file with the Office of the
10 Chief Clerk. A Member must submit a [voucher] receipt for the
11 rental payment and, if appropriate, an invoice or receipt for
12 any related expenses.
13 10. Authorized Accounts.
14 [(a) Incidental Expense Account.
15 Payments shall be made from the Incidental Expense Account
16 for authorized Per Diem Allowances only for attendance at
17 sessions of the Senate during which roll call votes are
18 recorded.]
19 (b) Accountable Expense Account.
20 Payments shall be made from Senator's Legislative Accountable
21 Expense Account for lodging rental payment.
22 (c) Other Accounts.
23 Payment may be made from the following accounts for other
24 authorized [per diem] meal and lodging claims:
25 (1) Leadership Operations Accounts.
26 (2) Appropriations Committee Accounts.
27 (3) Legislative Management Committee Accounts.
28 (4) Senators' Legislative Accountable Expense Accounts.
29 (5) Contingent Accounts.
30 (6) Senators' District Office Expense Accounts, meals
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1 only.
2 (7) Incidental Expense Account.
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