Lawmakers claim $180,000 in per-diem payments during special session

EVERETT – The price of running the Legislature for an extra month included more than $180,000 in daily expense payments to lawmakers.

Those $120-a-day payments and mileage reimbursements will continue to add up as lawmakers continue to negotiate a state budget in a second special session, the Daily Herald newspaper of Everett reported.

Friday marked the eighth day of a second extra session for the 147 lawmakers. The final total for those expenses could double before lawmakers pass a two-year spending plan and adjourn for the year.

Legislators earn $42,106 a year and are entitled to receive up to $120 more for each day in a regular or special legislative session to cover expenses such as food and lodging in Olympia.

Under state law, per diem can be claimed for days during which lawmakers are “engaged in legislative business,” which can be interpreted widely to cover everything from a committee hearing to a town hall. Many lawmakers rent an apartment during the regular session and use per diem payments to cover their bills.

The Senate paid $56,400 in per diem for the special session that ran from April 29 through May 28. It also reimbursed lawmakers a total of $3,431 for mileage, according to information compiled by the secretary of the Senate.

The tab for the House, which has twice as many members, was $124,129, according to the chief clerk.

Though the Legislature didn’t accomplish much in the first special session this year, Republican Sen. Kirk Pearson of Monroe held three meetings of the Natural Resources and Parks Committee and took part in community events.

Pearson wound up receiving $3,000 in per diem payments.

“Though I haven’t been in Olympia every day, I have been very busy,” Pearson said. “I don’t think I’ve done anything illegal. I have just been an active senator.”