Juneau – Wednesday, Representative Harriet Drummond (D-Anchorage) filed legislation to eliminate session per diem for days a legislator is not in Juneau.

“In our current fiscal climate, legislators need to tighten their belts just as much as the rest of the state,” said Rep. Drummond.

House Bill 111 – “An Act relating to the policy of the Alaska Legislative Council regarding the payment of per diem to legislators” eliminates per diem for any days a legislator leaves Juneau during session.

“It is ridiculous,” said Rep. Drummond. “If I go home for the weekend and sleep in my own bed and use my own kitchen, I should not be getting paid a per diem.”

Currently, legislators get per diem for all 90 days of session, even when they leave the capital city for personal reasons or state business.

“I don’t get paid per diem during the interim to do constituent work, and I don’t see why that should be any different during session,” Drummond said. “We have office accounts and get paid very well for the amount of time we are in Juneau.”

HB111 has been referred to the House State Affairs and Finance committees.

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