Arizona lawmakers may give themselves a significant boost in money to cover their daily expenses during the legislative session.
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted Wednesday to set the per diem rate for lawmakers to match the reimbursement for federal employees when they travel to Phoenix for business.
Republican Sen. David Gowan of Sierra Vista said the current rates of $60 for rural lawmakers and $35 for Maricopa County residents haven’t changed since the 1980s. The rates drop after 120 days in session.
Under HB2053, rural lawmakers would get $56 a day for food and $151 for lodging during most of the year, or $91 during the summer, though lawmakers are rarely in session then. Legislators living in the Phoenix area would get the $56 food allowance but no money for lodging.
The pay would remain consistent no matter how long the Legislature is in session, and rates would be automatically adjusted each year when the U.S. General Services Administration sets them for federal workers.
Lawmakers earn $24,000 a year in salary, which can only be modified by voters who have repeatedly rejected increases for years. Therefore, the per diem becomes a significant contributor to their income during session.
Low pay excludes many people from running for office and leaves the Legislature skewed toward retirees and those with outside sources of income, said Sen. Lisa Otondo, a Democrat who lives in Yuma and represents a sprawling district that stretches from the Southwest Valley to the Mexican border.
“This is the people’s house,” Otondo said. “I think it’s really important that we allow others to run for office.”
Sen. Sean Bowie, a Democrat from Ahwatukee who voted against the measure, said he has sympathy for colleagues commuting from rural areas, but he doesn’t think his constituents would support giving lawmakers more money.
Lawmakers approved a per diem hike in 2019, but it was vetoed by Gov. Doug Ducey.
Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
