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Bill to simplify per-diem claims aims to cut routine staff workload
Summary
Sen. Pat Flowers presented SB 64, a legislative-council request to standardize per-diem claims using distance-based tiers; sponsor and informational staff said the fiscal note is $0 and the change would save roughly 60–80 staff hours per month processing claims.
Senator Pat Flowers introduced Senate Bill 64 as a government-efficiency measure to simplify how legislators submit and the finance office processes per-diem claims. Flowers displayed a handout with concentric "rings" that set entitlements by round-trip distance: up to 100 miles (one-day salary, one midday meal, mileage), 100–400 miles (two days' salary, two days' meals, two nights' lodging, mileage) and 400-plus miles (three days' salary, three days' meals, two nights' lodging, mileage). He said the salary entitlement remains unchanged from current policy but the bill reduces administrative complexity.
Flowers told the committee that the finance office currently spends about 120 to 140 hours per month processing per-diem claims and that SB 64 would reduce that burden by about 60 to 80 hours per month. The fiscal note was described in the hearing as $0. Angie Carter, financial manager for the legislative branch, served as an informational witness and assisted with technical clarification.
Senator Matt Regier spoke as a proponent, saying the bill would let finance provide a standard form and allow individual legislators to decline portions of their entitlement (for example, lodging) if they choose, preventing a windfall while saving staff time. No opponents were recorded in person or online.
Flowers closed by noting a second handout that outlines how entitlements extend for multi-day meetings and asked the chair to consider carrying the bill if it is reported out of committee. The committee recessed after closing the SB 64 hearing.
