Bill No.: HB0160                  Drafter:  DKG

LSO No.:  09LSO-0447              Effective Date:  3/15/2009

Enrolled Act No.:  HEA0124

Chapter No.:       171

Prime Sponsor:     Representative Landon

Catch Title:       Constituent service allowance.

Subject:  Payment of legislative constituent service allowances.

Summary/Major Elements:

· Under current law, legislators are entitled to receive a constituent allowance of $750.00 per quarter, to defray costs incurred in providing service to and on behalf of their constituents.

· This bill does not modify the quarterly or annual amounts but:

o Allows a legislator who has not expended the authorized amount in any quarter, to claim those unexpended funds in subsequent quarters, provided the total amount that may be claimed by an individual legislator does not exceed the current limit of $3,000.00 in any calendar year.  The annual limitation of $3,000.00 is subject to the same conditions and restrictions as the quarterly allowance;

o Provides that, until January 7, 2013, LSO shall oversee and make payment from the constituent service allowance account as provided in current law. After that date, LSO is to oversee and provide payment as provided in a new provision of the bill which provides for quarterly distributions of the authorized amount to all incumbent legislators.  To the extent funds appropriated for this purpose are insufficient to pay the full quarterly allowance to all members, payment shall be made on a proportional basis.

Note:

· Final action on this bill was not taken at the time this summary was prepared.  Should changes be made to the bill upon final passage, an updated summary will be transmitted to all legislators.