S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4258
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 7, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ASHBY  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
   ment 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06244-01-3
              

 S. 4258                             2
 
 OR DONATED TO CHARITY. The per diem  allowances  including  partial  per
 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.