This section lets member-elects receive reimbursement for certain orientation expenses, allows them to hire legislative assistants before the organizational session, and lets presiding officers help set up district offices and pay salary in the specified special-election case.
§31.3. Members-elect; reimbursement; orientation; establishment of district office; legislative assistants A. The presiding officers of both houses shall, upon the taking of office by a member elected between sessions by the legislature at a special election called to fill a vacancy in the office of senator or representative, pay to said member the regular legislative salary provided for in R.S. 24:31.1. Said sum shall be payable upon the taking of office of any such member-elect and shall be based on the period from the date of his election until the date of his taking office. B. During the period between the promulgation of the election returns of the regular general election for members of the legislature and the organizational session of the legislature, a member-elect shall be reimbursed in the manner established by the division of administration for state officers, for mileage, lodging, and meal expenses incurred by the member-elect for actual attendance at one or more orientation seminars conducted by the house of the legislature to which such member-elect was elected. C.(1) During the period beginning thirty days prior to the organizational session of the legislature, the presiding officer of the house of the legislature to which a member-elect was elected may take whatever action deemed necessary to assist a member-elect to establish a district office and for such office to begin operating, including incurring expenses and making expenditures related to such office in an amount not to exceed the monthly office expense allowance established in R.S. 24:31.4. (2) During the period beginning thirty days prior to the organizational session of the legislature, a member-elect may employ one or more legislative assistants in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 24:31.5. Added by Acts 1970, No. 244, §1. Acts 1993, No. 248, §1; Acts 2004, No. 516, §1.