Legislators Receive Health Benefits Similar to Full-Time State Employees

 Utah’s part-time legislators receive health benefits similar to full-time state employees. The state pays 90 percent of the premium.

Under a proposed change Utah legislators would receive a lump sum of $16,380 a year, which is the current salary of $117 a day plus two per diems.

In addition to this amount they would get reimbursed for any actual meals, lodging or travel expenses they actually spent.

For years Utah Lawmakers have been able to get reimbursed for hotel rooms they don’t use and meals they don’t eat, making the Wasatch front lawmakers being paid a much larger salary than the lawmakers from rural areas in Utah where they can’t commute each day to the capital.  Lawmakers on the Wasatch front have been living at home, while collecting lodging and travel expenses they didn’t spend.

The independent Legislative Compensation Committee recommended the lump-sum payment and the House has accepted it, but the Senate has not.  The Senate will be discussing it next week. 

The real question, is at the end of the day, will the legislature still be able to be reimbursed for lodging, meals and travel expenses they didn’t spend.

 Robert Gehrke Salt Lake Tribune