Chap. 0248 An Act relative to payment of allowances for travel and other expenses to members of the general court.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which in part is to provide for payment of allowances lor travel and other expenses to members of the general court during the current session, in addition

lo those heretofore authorized by law, in that, the payment of a substantial part of such allowances of such members would be unduly deferred, therefore i( is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

Suction 1. Chapter three of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section nine, as most recently amended by section one of chapter thirty-eight of the acts of nineteen hundred and forty-five, and inserting in place thereof the following two sections: - Section 9. Each member of the general court shall receive, for each regular annual session, twenty-five hundred dollars. The president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall each receive twenty-five hundred dollars additional compensation. Each member of the general court shall be entitled to be paid his compensation for such regular session at the rate of (wo hundred dollars for each full month of the session. Such pa\rments shall be made to him, upon his request, on the last legislative day in which the general court is in session preceding the fifteenth day of each month and on the day preceding the last legislative day of each month, and shall be for an amount not exceeding the proportion then due at the aforesaid rate; provided, that the state treasurer, in his discretion, may, during such regular session, make additional payments on account, in excess of such monthly rate, to any member making written request therefor, but the amount of such additional payments shall not exceed, in the aggregate, three hundred dollars in any one such session, or eight hundred dollars if such session continues beyond July first, and in no event shall the amount of all payments under this section during such session to any member exceed, in the aggregate, the compensation of such member for such session.

Section 9A. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, each member of the general court shall receive for general expenses a basic allowance of ten dollars for each week of the regular annual session. In addition to such basic allowance, each member who resides not more than fifty miles from the place of sitting of the general court shall receive an allowance of twenty-two and one half cents for each such week for every mile of ordinary traveling distance from his place of abode to the place of sitting of the general court, and returning therefrom, but not less than four dollars and fifty cents for each such week, and each member who resides more than fifty miles from such place of sitting shall receive an allowance of four and one half cents for each such week for every mile of ordinary traveling distance from his place of abode to the place of such sitting, and returning therefrom, and a further allowance of twenty dollars for each such week for hotel and living expenses or extra travel.   If no formal session of a branch of the general court

is held in any week, the presiding officer of such branch shall certify such fact to the state treasurer and no payment under the provisions of this section shall be made for such week to any member of such branch; provided, that, if during the first sixty days from the date of its first assembly the general court is in recess for any week no such certificate shall be required and no payment of any allowance as provided herein shall be made to any member. Such allowances for any month shall be payable on the day preceding the last legislative day of such month, as certified to the state treasurer by the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, respectively.

Section 2. Said chapter three is hereby further amended by striking out section ten, as amended by section two of said chapter thirty-eight, and inserting in place thereof the following section: - Section 10. Each member of the general court chosen to fill a vacancy, or who resigns his seat during a regular annual session, shall be entitled to a per diem compensation for the time of his membership at the rate of twenty-five hundred dollars for each regular annual session, and the allowances for travel and other expenses for the time of his membership as provided in section nine A.

Section 3. Section eighteen of chapter twenty-nine of the General Laws, as appearing in the Tercentenary Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence: - No certificate shall be required from the comptroller for payment of the pay rolls of the members of the council and general court, or for ihe traveling and other expenses of members of the general court as provided in section nine A of chapter three.

Section 4. Any allowance for travel or mileage received by any member of the general court before the effective date of this act shall be deducted from any sum payable to such member under this act.

Section 5. To provide for payments authorized by this act, the sums hereinafter set forth are hereby appropriated from the general fund or revenue of the commonwealth, the same to be in addition to any amounts heretofore appropriated for the purpose:

item

0101-02 Kor expenses of senators, including travel, for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and forty-five       .       . $18,400 00

0101-04 For expenses of representatives, including travel, for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and forty-five .       .    110,100 00

Approved April 25, 1945.