Committee adopts amendment striking legislator per diem language, shifts mileage-setting authority

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee adopted an amendment that removes the bill's first section on legislator per diem and revises how state employee mileage is set.

The amendment, identified in committee as amendment number 0.232029 0.1, "strikes the whole first section, which deals with legislator per diem," and leaves the bill's later provisions that affect public employees and mileage rates. The sponsor explained that the first section was "in the constitution" and noted concerns about the level of specificity there, which prompted the decision to remove it. The amendment also changes the standard mileage reference from the Internal Revenue Service to a rate set under rules by the Department of Finance Administration and that in turn references the United States General Services Administration for some vehicle-class rates.

Committee members moved and seconded consideration of the amendment, and the chair asked for opposition; none was raised. The chair announced the amendment was adopted.

The committee proceeded with the amended bill and opened the record for public testimony but recorded no in-person or online comments on the amended language at that time.

Notes: the transcript records the amendment language and the committee's adoption; no formal roll-call vote count was read into the record by name.