The Louisiana Capitol may have been closed for 49 days but Louisiana lawmakers were still paid their $161 dollar per diem throughout that period.
Advocate Bureau Chief Mark Ballard said that despite the compressed schedule, legislators will still collect $14,000 aimed at reimbursing expenses for lawmakers while in session.
“Apparently, it is in the constitution, so they cannot cut the pay of an elected official during an elected official's term,” says Ballard.
Lawmakers receive the per diem on top of their $17,000 annual base salary.
Ballard says many lawmakers argue that they were doing legislative work during that period, even if it wasn’t at the Capitol.
“There was a lot of things going on and they were always available to talk and to update us on what was going on, so they were working during that time,” says Ballard.
Lawmakers must pass a balanced budget by July 1, and the regular session ends June 1. Ballard says if a June special session must be called, they’ll get the per diem again.
“They get paid per day for the special session, which is pretty likely to happen,” says Ballard.
Per diem payments to lawmakers for the regular session cost the state about $2 million per year.
