Murfreesboro Post
MURFREESBORO WEATHER

Ketron-sponsored bill would increase per diem for legislators




State Sen. Bill Ketron isn’t quite ready to give most of Tennessee’s legislators a parting gift as he exits office this year to run for Rutherford County mayor.

Ketron is the official Senate sponsor of amended legislation that passed a key House committee Monday, April 16, to increase the amount of per diem lawmakers receive for hotel stays by tying it to the Nashville Central Business District rate rather than the federal per diem level.

But the Murfreesboro Republican said he could not commit “either way” on the legislation until talking with the chairman of the Senate State & Local Government Committee, Sen. Ken Yager, a Kingston Republican, especially with the Legislature set to dismiss in about a week. The committee is closed for the year, but Yager has the discretion to reopen it.

Ketron acknowledged agreeing in January to carry a caption bill with House Majority Leader Ryan Williams, but he said he wasn’t aware it would be amended to raise per diems for legislators. He said Williams told him earlier Monday he had pushed the measure through the House State Government Committee and asked him if he was willing to carry the matter in the Senate.

“(Williams) said, ‘All of our guys over there are for it.’ I said they probably are, but I’m not gonna fall on that sword,” Ketron said he told Williams.

Ketron wouldn’t benefit from the measure regardless of whether he leaves the Legislature, because it would affect only those who live more than 50 miles from the State Capitol and receive a state payment to cover their hotel costs. He is running against former Rutherford County Commissioner Tina Jones and former United Way executive Randy Allen in the May 1 Republican primary for county mayor.

Nevertheless, it could bump the level of pay anywhere from $30 to $60 per night, up from about $200, costing the state about $31,000 for more than 100 legislators, according to lawmakers.

The measure comes in the form of a caption bill that doesn’t refer to legislative per diems, but instead to ensuring the General Assembly’s official flag would fly outside the Cordell Hull Building. The bill’s caption reportedly held a state code provision dealing with per diems, allowing it to be amended to deal with the payments.

Williams told House members Monday, with hotel rates soaring the measure would allow them “to find a rate that is more applicable to staying in downtown Nashville.” The per diem level for the Central Business District is put together by a Sumner County firm and fluctuates monthly.

The Legislature changed its law six years ago eliminating per diems for hotels for legislators living less than 50 miles from the Capitol. Some talk has surfaced about renewing those payments because of the length of time it takes to commute to Nashville from surrounding counties.

But Williams’ measure wouldn’t affect those in doughnut counties unless they’re outside the 50-mile radius.

Rep. Darren Jernigan, an Old Hickory Democrat who lives on the outskirts of Davidson County and doesn’t receive a per diem, pointed out the Legislature is split between those receiving the payment and those who don’t and sought to change the bill to give the payment to everyone except those who live in the Central Business District, which would be nearly every legislator.

Jernigan pointed out some lawmakers stay at a Clarion hotel and pay only $85 a night, which enables them to pocket the rest of their per diem. Lawmakers also receive money for food and incidentals.

“Since we are divided now, why would we vote to give you a raise?” Jernigan asked Williams.

Williams responded, “It’s not a raise,” instead calling it a reimbursement.

The committee ultimately passed the bill to the Finance, Ways and Means Committee on a voice vote.

Sam Stockard can be reached at sstockard44@gmail.com.

Leave a Reply