Table 3.9
Legislative Compensation and Travel Expense Allowances During Regular Sessions, 2022
Available versions: 2023 2022 (showing)
| Regular sessions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIPS | State or other jurisdiction |
Per diem salary | Annual salary | Mileage cents per mile | Session per diem rate |
| 01 | Alabama | . . . | $53,956 | 58.5/mile. | For overnight stays: $85/day. For two or more days with overnight stays: $100/day. |
| 02 | Alaska | . . . | $50,400 | 58.5/mile. | For legislators whose permanent residence is not in Juneau: up to $307/day. For Juneau legislators: no per diem. |
| 04 | Arizona | . . . | $24,000 | 58.5/mile. Tied to the federal rate. | The session per diem rate for state legislators residing in Maricopa County is $35/day for the first 120 days of regular and special sessions and $10/day for all following days. For legislators residing outside of Maricopa County, one hundred percent of the average of the six highest months of the annual federal per diem rate for Maricopa county, including lodging, as determined by the United States general services administration. The director of the department of administration shall determine this amount annually (currently $220/day) for the first 120 days of regular and special sessions and half that amount (currenlty $110/day) for all following days. This is set in statute, but will change each year as the US general services administration adjusts the federal rates. |
| 05 | Arkansas | . . . | $44,357 | 58.5/mile. Tied to the federal rate. | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $59/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $1515/day. |
| 06 | California | . . . | $119,702 | 58.5/mile. | $211/day for Senators and $214/day for Representatives. |
| 08 | Colorado | . . . | $40,242 | 58.5/mile. | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $45/day. For legislators living more than 50 miles from the capitol: $234/day. Set by the legislature. Vouchered. |
| 09 | Connecticut | . . . | $28,000 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | No per diem is paid. |
| 10 | Delaware | . . . | $48,237 | 40/mile. | Legislators do not receive a per diem but do receive a stipend worth $7,481.00 that is divided by 26 pays ($287.73 a paycheck). |
| 12 | Florida | . . . | $29,697 | 44.5/mile. | $152/day for up to 50 days for senators and up to 60 days for representatives. Vouchered. |
| 13 | Georgia | . . . | $17,341 | 59/mile. | $247/day. Set by the Legislative Services Committee. Unvouchered. |
| 15 | Hawaii | . . . | $62,604 | 58.5/mile. | For legislators who do not reside on Oahu: $225/day. For legislators living on Oahu during the mandatory five-day recess only: $10/day. Legislators who do not reside on Oahu also receive reimbursement for their air travel costs to commute from their home island to Oahu. |
| 16 | Idaho | . . . | $18,875 | 58.5/mile. | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $71/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $139/day. |
| 17 | Illinois | . . . | $70,645 | 58.5/mile. | $155/day. |
| 18 | Indiana | . . . | $28,791.00 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $196/day. Unvouchered. |
| 19 | Iowa | . . . | $25,000 | 39/mile. | $175/day. Unvouchered. During the interim, hotel stays are covered for two-day meetings or with prior approval. |
| 20 | Kansas | $88.66/session day. | . . . | 56/mile. One round trip per week. | $155/day. Tied to CONUS. |
| 21 | Kentucky | $188.22/calendar day. | . . . | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $170.50/day. |
| 22 | Louisiana | . . . | $16,800 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $160/day. Tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. |
| 23 | Maine | . . . | $15,417 for the first regular session. $10,999 for the second regular session. | The mileage reimbursement rate increased from $0.44 to $0.45 per mile effective July 1, 2021, and will increase to $0.46 per mile effective October 1, 2022. Legislators are eligible to be reimbursed for tolls paid in traveling to and from sessions of the Legislature or in the performance of duly authorized committee assignments. | The session per diem rate for state legislators is $38/day for lodging (or one round-trip mileage in lieu of lodging for the first day of travel in a week and up to $38/day in lieu of lodging for subsequent days of travel during the same week, plus actual tolls). $32/day for meals. This is set by statute. |
| 24 | Maryland | . . . | $50,330 | 58.5/mile. Legislators receive $750/year as taxable income for in-district travel, but they may decline the allowance. | $106/day for lodging. $56/day for meals. |
| 25 | Massachusetts | . . . | $70,537 | No mileage reimbursement. Legislators residing within 50 miles of the statehouse receive an office expense stipend of $17,043 that can be used for travel expenses. Legislators residing more than 50 miles from the state house receive $22,723. | No per diem is paid. Legislators residing within 50 miles of the statehouse receive an office expense stipend of $17,043 that can be used for travel expenses. Legislators residing more than 50 miles from the state house receive $22,723. |
| 26 | Michigan | . . . | $71,685 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | No per diem is paid. Legislators receive an expense allowance of $10,800/year for session and interim. Set by the compensation commission. Vouchered. |
| 27 | Minnesota | . . . | $46,500 | 58.5/mile. One round trip per week. Tied to federal rate. | For senators: $86/day. For representatives: $66/day. Additional compensation for communication, living expenses and district travel may be possible. |
| 28 | Mississippi | . . . | $23,500 | 58.5/mile. | $155/day. Tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. |
| 29 | Missouri | . . . | $36,813 | 49/mile. | $124/day. Tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. |
| 30 | Montana | $100.46/legislative day. | . . . | 58.6/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $126.12/day. For additional expenses, legislators also reeive a primary $3,000 stipend and a secondary amount between $1,000 and $4,000 depending on the square mileage of a legislator's district. |
| 31 | Nebraska | . . . | $12,000 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $59/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $155/day. |
| 32 | Nevada | 2021 Data: $164.69/calendar day up to 60 days. Senators who are not up for reelection until 2022 receive $159.89/calendar day. | . . . | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | 2021 Data: $151/day. Travel allowance of $10,000/session, and additional $900/session leadership allowance. Per the Nevada Constitution, the Speaker and the Lieutenant Governor, as President of the Senate, each receive an additional allowance of $2 per diem during the time of their actual attendance as presiding officers. Committee chairs also receive an additional $900 allowance. |
| 33 | New Hampshire | . . . | $100 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. Legislators can instead choose the state mileage reimbursement option, which is 38/mile for the first 45 miles, and 19/mile thereafter. With this alternative method, the reimbursement is taxed as income, and legislators do not need to drive their personal vehicle. | No per diem is paid. |
| 34 | New Jersey | . . . | $49,000 | No mileage reimbursement. | No per diem is paid. |
| 35 | New Mexico | . . . | $0 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $165/day (January and February); $194/day (March). Tied to federal rate. Vouchered. It goes up to $202 for FY23 on July 1, 2022. |
| 36 | New York | . . . | $110,000 | 58.5/mile Tied to federal rate. | For non-overnight travel: $61/day. For overnight stays: $183/day. |
| 37 | North Carolina | . . . | $13,951 | 29/mile. One round trip per week. | $104/day. Set by statute. Unvouchered. For additional expenses, legislators receive $559/month. |
| 38 | North Dakota | . . . | $518/month. $526/month starting July 1, 2021; $537/month starting July 1 2022. | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $186/day. $189/day starting July 1, 2021; $193/day starting July 1, 2022. |
| 39 | Ohio | . . . | $68,674 | 55/mile for legislators living outside Franklin County. | No per diem is paid. |
| 40 | Oklahoma | . . . | $47,500 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $168/day. Tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. The per diem rate for Oklahoma legislators in the interim (non-session months), approximately June through January, is $25/day and limited to 20 days, without prior permission of each respective house's leader. This is governed by statute. |
| 41 | Oregon | . . . | $33,852 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $151/day. |
| 42 | Pennsylvania | . . . | $95,432 | 58.5/mile.Tied to federal rate. | $178/day for Representatives. $181/day for Senators. |
| 44 | Rhode Island | . . . | $16,835 | 56/mile. | No per diem is paid. |
| 45 | South Carolina | . . . | $10,400 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $185.38/day. Tied to federal rate with additional amount added to match average hotel rate in Columbia, SC. All legislators in SC (House and Senate) receive a monthly payment of $1,000 that we label “in-district” expenses. |
| 46 | South Dakota | . . . | $13,957 | One trip is paid at 5/mile, and the remaining are paid at 42/mile. One round trip per week. | $155/day. Legislative days only. Unvouchered. The per diem rate is the amount fixed for the per diem allowance that is authorized by the United States Internal Revenue Service per SDCL 2-4-2. |
| 47 | Tennessee | . . . | $24,316 | 47/mile. Until November of 2022, then it will be adjusted to $.585 per mile. | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $61/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $295/day. Currently tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. Beginning in November of 2022, Members will be granted the meals and incidentals amount equal to the allowance granted federal employees for expenses in the Nashville area. For lodging, the higher of: 1. The annual average hotel rate for the previous calendar year in the Nashville central business district as provided by the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation or their successor organization if obtainable, or 2. The allowance granted federal employees for lodging expenses in the Nashville area. |
| 48 | Texas | . . . | $7,200 | 58.4/mile. $1.515/mile for single, twin and turbo engine airplanes. Set by general appropriations bill. Legislators also receive reimbursement for transportation costs for one roundtrip home each week. | $221/day. Set by ethics commission. Unvouchered. |
| 49 | Utah | $285/legislative day. | . . . | 56/mile. | No per diem is paid. For Senate: Legislators residing more than 100 miles from the capitol can receive up to $100/day. For House: Legislators residing more than 40 miles from the capitol can receive up to $100/day. For House: |
| 50 | Vermont | . . . | $742.92/week during session. | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $75/day for remote. $127/night for lodging and $69/day for meals for in person. |
| 51 | Virginia | . . . | $18,000 for senators. $17,640 for delegates. | 58.5/mile. | $209/day. |
| 53 | Washington | . . . | $57,876 | 58.5/mile. Tied to federal rate. | $185/day. Per diem is now tied to 89% of the federal per diem rate and will be reviewed for accuracy each November. |
| 54 | West Virginia | . . . | $20,000 | 48.5/mile. | $131/day. Set by compensation commission. Unvouchered. |
| 55 | Wisconsin | . . . | $55,141 | 51/mile. Senators can claim one round trip per week. Representatives can claim two round trips to the Capitol per week, unless they stay over night and then they can only claim one round trip. | For the Senate: $115/day for senators who reside outside of Dane County; those in Dane County receive $57.50. $153 (with overnight) or $76.50/day (no overnight) for representatives. The Senate has no limitation on the total number of days that a member may claim per diem. Some other restrictions apply, such as a prohibition on claiming per diem on weekends unless the senator is in actual attendance of session or a meeting of a standing committee of which the senator is a member. For the Assembly: Representative can claim 153 per diem days in the first year and 80 in the second year of the session. The per diem rate for the Assembly is $153 for overnight and $76.50 for non-overnight and for Dane County legislators. |
| 56 | Wyoming | $150/day. | . . . | 59/mile. | $109/day. Set by legislature. Vouchered. Legislators also receive an additional $300/month; 1/2 salary for 1 day of preparation for each day the legislator is engaged in work for the Management Council or any committee; and 1/2 salary for each day the member travels to and from an interim activity for which he/she is entitled to receive a salary. |
Source:
National Conference of State Legislatures, 2022.Key:
| . . . | — | Not applicable. |