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JOINT RULES RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR

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REIMBURSEMENT FOR LEGISLATIVE TRAINING DAYS

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2015 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: James A. Dunnigan

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Senate Sponsor: Ralph Okerlund

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8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This joint rules resolution of the Legislature modifies provisions related to legislative
11     expense reimbursement.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This resolution:
14          ▸     defines a term;
15          ▸     amends the powers and duties of the Legislative Expenses Oversight Committee;
16     and
17          ▸     allows expense reimbursement for lodging, meals, and transportation for certain
18     authorized legislative training days.
19     Special Clauses:
20          This bill provides retrospective operation.
21     Legislative Rules Affected:
22     AMENDS:
23          JR5-1-101
24          JR5-1-102
25          JR5-2-101
26          JR5-2-102
27          JR5-2-103
28     

29     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:

30          Section 1. JR5-1-101 is amended to read:
31          JR5-1-101. Definitions.
32          As used in this title:
33          (1) "Authorized legislative day" means:
34          (a) a general session day, which includes any day during the period that begins on the
35     day that the Legislature convenes in annual general session until midnight of the 45th day of
36     the annual general session;
37          (b) a special session day;
38          (c) a veto override session day;
39          (d) an interim day designated by the Legislative Management Committee; or
40          (e) any other day that includes a meeting of a committee, subcommittee, commission,
41     task force, or other legislative meeting, provided that:
42          (i) the committee, subcommittee, commission, task force, or other entity is created by
43     statute or joint resolution;
44          (ii) the legislator's attendance at the meeting is approved by the Legislative
45     Management Committee; and
46          (iii) service and payment for service by the legislator is not in violation of the Utah
47     Constitution, including Article V and Article VI, Sections 6 and 7.
48          (2) "Authorized legislative training day" means a day, other than an authorized
49     legislative day, for which the Legislative Expenses Oversight Committee approves the
50     reimbursement of expenses for lodging, meals, or transportation for a legislator or
51     legislator-elect to attend:
52          (a) chair training;
53          (b) an issue briefing;
54          (c) legislative leadership instruction;
55          (d) legislative process training;
56          (e) legislative rules training;
57          (f) new legislator orientation; or

58          (g) another meeting to brief, instruct, orient, or train a legislator or legislator-elect in
59     furtherance of the legislator's or legislator-elect's official duties.
60          [(2)] (3) "Reimbursement" means money paid to compensate a legislator for money
61     spent by the legislator in furtherance of the legislator's official duties.
62          Section 2. JR5-1-102 is amended to read:
63          JR5-1-102. Legislative Expenses Oversight Committee.
64          (1) The presiding officer and the majority leader and minority leader of each house are
65     the Legislative Expenses Oversight Committee for that house.
66          (2) Each committee shall:
67          (a) establish procedures to implement the rules on legislative expenses, including
68     establishing systems and procedures for the reimbursement of legislative expenses;
69          (b) ensure that procedures are established for the purpose of avoiding duplicate or
70     improper payments or reimbursements; and
71          (c) meet at least annually, or at the request of a majority of the committee, to review
72     legislative expenses and travel budgets.
73          (3) Each committee may, for a calendar year, authorize:
74          (a) up to four authorized legislative training days for a legislator; and
75          (b) up to two additional authorized legislative training days for a:
76          (i) legislator-elect; or
77          (ii) legislator who is in the first year of office.
78          [(3)] (4) The presiding officer may authorize temporary emergency legislative
79     expenses.
80          Section 3. JR5-2-101 is amended to read:
81          JR5-2-101. Reimbursement of lodging.
82          (1) Subject to the other provisions of this section, if a legislator's official duties [for an
83     authorized legislative day] necessitate overnight accommodations, the legislator may receive
84     reimbursement for any actual lodging expenses incurred by the legislator, not to exceed the
85     daily rates published in the administrative rules governing reimbursement of lodging expenses

86     for state employees[.], for an:
87          (a) authorized legislative day; or
88          (b) authorized legislative training day.
89          (2) Reimbursement for actual lodging expenses for a legislator for an authorized
90     legislative day or authorized legislative training day shall be as provided in procedures
91     established by the Legislative Expenses Oversight Committee.
92          Section 4. JR5-2-102 is amended to read:
93          JR5-2-102. Reimbursement of meal expenses.
94          (1) Subject to the other provisions of this section, a legislator may receive
95     reimbursement for any actual meal expenses incurred by the legislator in association with the
96     legislator's official duties [for an authorized legislative day], not to exceed the rates and subject
97     to the time calculation requirements set in the administrative rules governing reimbursement of
98     meal expenses for state employees[.] for an:
99          (a) authorized legislative day; or
100          (b) authorized legislative training day.
101          (2) Reimbursement for actual meal expenses for a legislator for an authorized
102     legislative day or authorized legislative training day shall be as provided in procedures
103     established by the Legislative Expenses Oversight Committee.
104          Section 5. JR5-2-103 is amended to read:
105          JR5-2-103. Reimbursement for transportation costs.
106          (1) A legislator may receive reimbursement for any actual transportation costs incurred
107     by the legislator in association with the legislator's official duties for an:
108          (a) authorized legislative day[.]; or
109          (b) authorized legislative training day.
110          (2) Transportation costs reimbursed under this section shall be equal to:
111          (a) for travel by private vehicle, the actual mileage incurred by the legislator for the
112     legislator's private automobile use to and from the legislative meeting, to be paid in accordance
113     with the private vehicle mileage reimbursement rate that is applied when daily pool fleet

114     vehicles are unavailable, as published in the administrative rules governing reimbursement of
115     transportation expenses for state employees;
116          (b) for public transportation:
117          (i) the actual cost of the transportation incurred by the legislator to and from the
118     legislative meeting;
119          (ii) the private vehicle mileage actually incurred by the legislator to and from the
120     terminus of the public transportation; and
121          (iii) the cost of parking actually incurred by the legislator; or
122          (c) for commercial transportation:
123          (i) the actual cost of the transportation, which shall be limited to coach or standard
124     economy class, incurred by the legislator to and from the legislative meeting;
125          (ii) the private vehicle mileage actually incurred by the legislator to and from the
126     terminus of the commercial transportation; and
127          (iii) the cost of parking actually incurred by the legislator.
128          (3) Reimbursement for actual transportation costs incurred for a legislator for an
129     authorized legislative day or an authorized legislative training day shall be as provided in
130     procedures established by the Legislative Expenses Oversight Committee.
131          Section 6. Retrospective operation.
132          This joint resolution of the Legislature has retrospective operation to November 15,
133     2014.