S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1887
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 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] EACH SUCH MEMBER'S  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 REASONABLE 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03605-01-5
              

 S. 1887                             2
 
 LOWER TRAVEL COSTS OR  DONATED  TO  CHARITY.  The  per  diem  allowances
 including  partial  per  diem allowances shall be made PURSUANT TO REGU-
 LATIONS 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  presi-
 dent  of  the  senate  or  [his  or  her] THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE
 SENATE'S designee and speaker of the assembly or [his or her] THE SPEAK-
 ER OF THE ASSEMBLY'S designee for their respective houses. THE TEMPORARY
 PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE OR  THE  TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  SENATE'S
 DESIGNEE  AND  THE  SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY OR SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY'S
 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.