Wyoming Lawmakers To Consider Raising Their Per Diem Rates

The Wyoming Legislature is considering a bill that would increase their per diem rates as well as those for state boards and commissions.

Senate File 61 would raise the daily per diem from the current rate of $109 per day to $155 starting on July 1.

Per diems are payments to lawmakers to cover daily expenses such as meals and hotel rooms when they are conducting  legislative business, The per diem rate would then be re-evaluated every year by the State Auditor's office:

The amount shall be adjusted as of July 1 of each year by the state auditor to an amount equal to the most recent per diem rates established by the United States general services administration for locations within Wyoming.

Besides members of the legislature, the per diem increase would apply to members of state boards and commissions:

For members of any state board, commission, council, authority or other state entity whose rate of per diem is based upon the amount of per diem paid to legislators and is paid from a nongeneral fund source, to the extent funds are available, there is appropriated from those accounts and funds to those entities amounts necessary to supplement the per diem provided to those members as required by this act.

A fiscal note attached to the bill says it would cost the state $125,000 for the first year,