January 4, 1999
SPEAKER ANNOUNCES PER DIEM/MILEAGE CHANGES
Louisiana House Speaker Hunt Downer today announced that in accordance with new per diem and mileage rates published by the federal government, rates for legislators will be adjusted accordingly.
The new per diem rate is $97 and the new mileage reimbursement rate is $.31. The new per diem rates are effective January 1, 1999 and mileage rates, April 1, 1999. Last year’s rates were $101 for per diem and $.325 for mileage. The new rates track federal per diem rates published for the Baton Rouge area.
Announcing the change, Downer said, "The federal rates affect the amount we pay members for per diem and mileage because in 1997 we amended the law (R.S. 24:31 and 31.1) to tie our rates to the federal allowed rates. We are simply complying with the law we passed, reducing the rates according to the federal guidelines. Further, we will also track the effective dates which they have imposed ."
The new rates do not affect those members who chose to freeze their per diem ($75) and mileage rates ($.27) for the remainder of this term with the rate applicable at the time the law was amended in 1997.
##