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Madison - As they head into the new legislative session, Assembly Republican leaders are considering raising how much the 99 members of their chamber can claim for expenses.

Incoming Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said top Republicans have discussed raising the rate for daily expenses, known as per diem, but they have not made any final decisions. He noted payment rates have not been increased in more than a decade.

"I'm open to it. As we look at where we are, it's something to consider," Vos said.

Most lawmakers receive $88 a day to cover hotels and meals when they come to the Capitol. Those who live in or close to Madison receive half that amount. The payments in many cases are tax-free and come on top of their $49,943-a-year salary.

Republicans who control the Senate have rejected the idea of raising their per diem. Nonetheless, Assembly leaders can still push through the hike in payments in their house if they want. The Assembly's top Democrat said he is open to the GOP proposal but that it is not a priority.

Those who showed openness for raising payment rates - Vos, Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) and Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) - were the three who claimed the most in per diem in the Assembly in 2011, state records show. The three each took in $13,464 that year. Legislative leaders tend to have higher payments because they come to the Capitol more often than other lawmakers.

The proposal faces some opposition in the Assembly.

"I think at a time when we're trying to make ends meet with our own state employees . . . it hardly seems the right time to be raising per diem rates," said Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee).

Vos declined to say how much a raise might be. But he said if the rate goes up, the Assembly would make cuts elsewhere in its budget to make sure the cost of its total operations do not rise.

"I am not going to preside over an increase in spending" for the Assembly, Vos said.

Suder called raising per diem rates "logical" because hotel prices have risen in recent years.

"I am supportive of it because it hasn't been raised in a long time, but that's the speaker's prerogative," he said.

A committee of Assembly leaders - controlled 5-3 by Republicans - has the power to raise per diem rates. The full Assembly would not have to act, meaning that rank-and-file members could enjoy higher payments without having to take a potentially tough vote on the matter.

The same is true of the Senate, but leaders in that house said they would not raise their per diem rates, which for now are the same as the Assembly's.

"I would not support that right now," said incoming Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau). "We're not focused on any of that stuff right now."

Incoming Senate President Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) struck a similar tone.

"I don't think this is the right time," Ellis said. "Raising per diem at this time is not a good idea."

Barca, the Assembly minority leader, sits on the committee that would consider raising per diem rates in his house.

"That's the furthest thing from my mind at this point," Barca said, but he added that he could accept a rate increase.

The federal government pays its employees $145 a day for expenses when they conduct business in Madison. Barca said he thought it made sense to set the Assembly's rate as a percentage of the federal rate. That would mean the amount lawmakers can claim would rise in the future when the federal rate is adjusted.

He said he usually spends more than $88 a day when he comes to Madison, though he acknowledged some lawmakers may spend less than their daily allotment. He noted lawmakers do not have to take the full amount of their per diem.

Lawmakers established per diem rates at $88 in 2001 and have not raised them since then. At the time, the $88 rate was 90% of the federal level.

Now, legislators receive what amounts to 61% of the federal rate. If they brought themselves up to 90% of the federal level, they would receive $130.50 a day, $42.50 more than they receive now.