S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3571
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 27, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. ASHBY -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the legislative law,  in  relation  to  eliminating  the
   ability of legislators to earn certain perks
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 5 of the legislative law, as added
 by section 7 of part CC of chapter 56 of the laws of 2015, is amended to
 read as follows:
   2. [(a)] Each member of the legislature[, upon verification of attend-
 ance, which shall be by electronic  verification  when  practicable,  in
 compliance  with  the  policies set forth by the speaker of the assembly
 and the temporary president of the senate for their respective  bodies,]
 shall  [be  eligible to] receive payment of actual and necessary [travel
 expenses] TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES and a per diem equivalent to the  most
 recent federal per diem rates published by the general services adminis-
 tration  as  set forth in 41 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 301,
 App. A, [for the time in which the member was] WHILE in travel status in
 the performance of his or her duties [during the  months  in  which  the
 legislature  is  scheduled  to  be in regular session. During the months
 when the legislature is not scheduled to be in regular session,  members
 shall  receive  such actual and necessary travel expenses and per diems,
 in compliance with verification policies and in  accord  with  standards
 and limits for reimbursable events set forth by]; AND SUCH OTHER REASON-
 ABLE  EXPENSES  AS  MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MEMBER'S
 RESPONSIBILITIES AS DETERMINED BY the speaker of the  assembly  and  the
 temporary  president of the senate for their respective [bodies] HOUSES;
 PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ANY PERKS ASSOCIATED WITH  SUCH  TRANSPORTATION,
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO FREQUENT-FLIER MILES, OR REWARD POINTS FOR
 HOTEL  STAYS, SHALL BE EITHER DONATED TO THE STATE TO LOWER TRAVEL COSTS
 OR DONATED TO CHARITY. The per diem  allowances  including  partial  per
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD06256-01-1

 A. 3571                             2
 
 diem allowances shall be made PURSUANT TO REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE
 TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF  THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY FOR
 THEIR RESPECTIVE HOUSES, on audit and  warrant  of  the  comptroller  on
 vouchers approved by the temporary president of the senate or his or her
 designee  and  speaker  of the assembly or his or her designee for their
 respective houses. THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE OR HIS  OR  HER
 DESIGNEE  AND  THE  SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE SHALL
 PROMULGATE ANY RULES NECESSARY FOR THE ELIMINATION AND  CONTROL  OF  ANY
 PERKS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES.
   [(b)  Each house shall make available on its website all documentation
 otherwise available to the public pursuant to  section  eighty-eight  of
 the  public  officers  law related to the payment of travel expenses and
 per diems.]
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.