EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

AN ACT relating to the legislature; authorizing the use of the supplemental allowance provided for legislators to pay the costs of additional housing during a regular legislative session under certain circumstances; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

1-1 Section 1. NRS 218.220 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-2 218.220 1. The per diem expense allowance and the travel and

1-17 supplemental allowance which must not exceed:

2-1 (a) A total of $6,800 during each regular session of the legislature for:

2-2 (1) His actual expenses in moving to and from Carson City for the

2-3 session;

2-4 (2) Travel to and from his home or temporary residence or for

2-5 traveling to and from legislative committee and subcommittee meetings or

2-6 hearings or for individual travel within the state which relates to legislative

2-7 business; [and]

2-8 (3) If he rents furniture for his temporary residence rather than

2-9 moving similar furniture from his home, the cost of renting that furniture

2-10 not to exceed the amount that it would have cost to move the furniture to

2-11 and from his home; and

2-12 (4) If:

2-13 (I) His home is more than 50 miles from Carson City; and

2-14 (II) He maintains temporary quarters in or near Carson City for

2-15 which he has entered into a lease or other agreement for occupancy

2-16 during a regular legislative session,

2-17 the cost of such additional housing, paid at the end of each month during

2-18 the legislative session, beginning the month of the first day of the

2-19 legislative session and ending the month of the adjournment sine die of

2-20 the legislative session, in an amount that is the fair market rent for a one

2-21 bedroom unit in Carson City as published by the United States

2-22 Department of Housing and Urban Development prorated for the

2-23 number of days of the month that he actually maintained the temporary

2-24 quarters in or near Carson City. For the purposes of this subparagraph,

2-25 any day before the first day of the legislative session or after the day of

2-26 the adjournment sine die of the legislative session may not be counted as

2-27 a day for which he actually maintained such temporary quarters; and

2-28 (b) A total of $1,000 during each special session of the legislature for

2-29 travel to and from his home or temporary residence or for traveling to and

2-30 from legislative committee and subcommittee meetings or hearings or for

2-31 individual travel within the state which relates to legislative business.

2-32 4. Each senator and assemblyman is entitled to receive a per diem

2-33 expense allowance, not to exceed the maximum rate established by the

2-34 Federal Government for the Carson City area, for each day that the

2-35 legislature is in session or in a presession orientation conference and for

2-36 each day that he attends a meeting of a standing committee of which he is a

2-37 member when the legislature has adjourned for more than 4 days.

2-38 5. Each senator and assemblyman who maintains temporary quarters in

2-39 or near Carson City for which he has entered into a lease or other

2-40 agreement for continuous occupancy for the duration of a legislative

2-41 session is entitled to receive a lodging allowance equal to that portion of

2-42 the expense allowance which the legislative commission designates by rule

3-1 as being allocated to lodging, for not more than 14 days in each period in

3-2 which:

3-3 (a) The legislature has adjourned until a time certain; and

3-4 (b) The senator or assemblyman is not entitled to a per diem expense

3-5 allowance pursuant to subsection 4.

3-6 6. In addition to the per diem expense allowance authorized by

3-7 subsection 4 and the lodging allowance authorized by subsection 5, each

3-8 senator and assemblyman who maintains temporary quarters in or near

3-9 Carson City for which he has entered into a lease or other agreement for

3-10 continuous occupancy for the duration of a legislative session is entitled to

3-11 receive a lodging allowance equal to that portion of the expense allowance

3-12 which the legislative commission designates by rule as being allocated to

3-13 lodging, for not more than 17 days in each period in which:

3-14 (a) The legislature has adjourned for more than 4 days; and

3-15 (b) The senator or assemblyman must obtain temporary lodging in a

3-16 location that a standing committee of which he is a member is meeting.

3-17 7. Each senator and assemblyman is entitled to receive a lodging

3-18 allowance equal to that portion of the expense allowance which the

3-19 legislative commission designates by rule as being allocated to lodging, for

3-20 not more than 6 days in each period in which:

3-21 (a) The legislature has adjourned for more than 4 days; and

3-22 (b) The senator or assemblyman must obtain temporary lodging in a

3-23 location that a standing committee of which he is a member is meeting,

3-24 if the senator or assemblyman is not entitled to the per diem expense

3-25 allowance authorized by subsection 4 or the lodging allowances authorized

3-26 by subsections 5 and 6.

3-27 8. Each senator and assemblyman is entitled to receive a telephone

3-28 allowance of not more than $2,800 for the payment of tolls and charges

3-29 incurred by him in the performance of official business during each regular

3-30 session of the legislature and not more than $300 during each special

3-31 session of the legislature.

3-32 9. An employee of the legislature assigned to serve a standing

3-33 committee is entitled to receive the travel expenses and per diem expense

3-34 allowance provided by law for state employees generally if he is required to

3-35 attend a hearing of the committee outside Carson City.

3-36 10. Claims for expenses made under the provisions of this section must

3-37 be paid from the legislative fund. Claims for per diem expense allowances

3-38 authorized by subsection 4 and lodging allowances authorized by

3-39 subsections 5, 6 and 7 must be paid once each week during a legislative

3-40 session and upon completion of a presession orientation conference.

3-41 11. A claim for travel expenses authorized by subsection 2 or 3 must

3-42 not be paid unless the senator or assemblyman submits a signed statement

3-43 affirming:

4-1 (a) The date of the travel; and

4-2 (b) The places of departure and arrival and, if the travel is by private

4-3 conveyance, the actual miles traveled. If the travel is not by private

4-4 conveyance, the claim must include a receipt or other evidence of the

4-5 expenditure.

4-6 12. Travel expenses authorized by subsections 2 and 3 are limited to:

4-7 (a) If the travel is by private conveyance, a rate equal to the standard

4-8 mileage reimbursement rate for which a deduction is allowed for the

4-9 purposes of federal income tax. If two or more legislators travel in the same

4-10 private conveyance, the legislator who provided or arranged for providing

4-11 the transportation is presumed entitled to reimbursement.

4-12 (b) If the travel is not by private conveyance, the actual amount

4-13 expended.

4-14 Transportation must be by the most economical means, considering total

4-15 cost, time spent in transit and the availability of state-owned automobiles.

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