S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
812
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 11, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ASHBY -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the legislative law, in relation to eliminating the
ability of legislators to earn certain perks
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 5 of the legislative law, as added
by section 7 of part CC of chapter 56 of the laws of 2015, is amended to
read as follows:
2. [(a)] Each member of the legislature[, upon verification of attend-
ance, which shall be by electronic verification when practicable, in
compliance with the policies set forth by the speaker of the assembly
and the temporary president of the senate for their respective bodies,]
shall [be eligible to] receive payment of actual and necessary [travel
expenses] TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES and a per diem equivalent to the most
recent federal per diem rates published by the general services adminis-
tration as set forth in 41 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 301,
App. A, [for the time in which the member was] WHILE in travel status in
the performance of his or her duties [during the months in which the
legislature is scheduled to be in regular session. During the months
when the legislature is not scheduled to be in regular session, members
shall receive such actual and necessary travel expenses and per diems,
in compliance with verification policies and in accord with standards
and limits for reimbursable events set forth by]; AND SUCH OTHER REASON-
ABLE EXPENSES AS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MEMBER'S
RESPONSIBILITIES AS DETERMINED BY the speaker of the assembly and the
temporary president of the senate for their respective [bodies] HOUSES;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ANY PERKS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH TRANSPORTATION,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO FREQUENT-FLIER MILES, OR REWARD POINTS FOR
HOTEL STAYS, SHALL BE EITHER DONATED TO THE STATE TO LOWER TRAVEL COSTS
OR DONATED TO CHARITY. The per diem allowances including partial per
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02036-01-9
A. 812 2
diem allowances shall be made PURSUANT TO REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE
TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY FOR
THEIR RESPECTIVE HOUSES, on audit and warrant of the comptroller on
vouchers approved by the temporary president of the senate or his or her
designee and speaker of the assembly or his or her designee for their
respective houses. THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE OR HIS OR HER
DESIGNEE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE SHALL
PROMULGATE ANY RULES NECESSARY FOR THE ELIMINATION AND CONTROL OF ANY
PERKS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES.
[(b) Each house shall make available on its website all documentation
otherwise available to the public pursuant to section eighty-eight of
the public officers law related to the payment of travel expenses and
per diems.]
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.