Bill would boost state
legislators’ per-diem
payments

Hawaii legislators would receive higher daily allowances while away from home on official duty under a bill that is moving through the Legislature.

Expense Report A glimpse at legislators' current benefits: Salary: $34,200 ($41,700 for House speaker and Senate president) Annual incidental expense allowance: $5,000 Travel allowance: $80 in state, $130 out of state

Neighbor island lawmakers now get $80 a day ($130 for out-of-state travel), including weekends, holidays and recess days, to pay for living expenses while participating in the annual four-month legislative session.

The rate has not changed since 1993, and lawmakers say the rate is too low.

The new rate is to be no more than federal employee per-diem rates, which for Hono-lulu are $220 a day for food, lodging and on-island transportation.

The specific rate in House Bill 1235 would be set by the speaker of the House and the Senate president. There is no total cost for the bill because the state rate has yet to be set.

While the new rate is not stated, the bill says, "The rate shall be reasonably calculated to cover these expenses," including food and lodging.

"When you think of all the expenses, truly $80 is sort of low," said Senate President Robert Bunda (D, Kaena, Wahiawa-Pupukea).

Neighbor island legislators find that moving to Honolulu for the annual session is costly.

"My first year, I rented a car and a hotel room. It got pretty expensive," Rep. Cindy Evans, (D, Waimea) said.

The second-term Big Island representative said this year she shipped a family vehicle over, but "my husband says he wants his truck back when the session is over."

"So when I come back over here for weekly meetings, I have to rent a car," Evans said.

A taxi from the airport, Evans said, is $20 one way.

Legislators' airfare is paid for separately.

"I'm telling you, the flat $80 a day doesn't pencil out," Evans said.

"I decided to be a state legislator, and I knew there were expenses. Being from the neighbor islands does add a little bit of a challenge, but everything you get in life has a responsibility attached to it," Evans said.

Lawmakers also are moving a bill that will adjust their annual $5,000 allowance by 50 percent to $7,500. The allowance is also tied to the increase in legislators' pay, so that when the pay increases, the allowance would rise by the same percentage.

The bill, HB 1236, says lawmakers can use the extra money "to cover incidental expenses connected with legislative duties."

The expenses can be anything from mailings to constituents to buying leis for guests.

"The legislative allowance is primarily used by legislators to send constituents informational or survey material," the bill states.

"It thus keeps constituents and legislators informed about the issues, helps legislators to identify and resolve constituent concerns, and allows legislators to support the preferences of their constituents in the legislative process."