/Mississippi senators to be fingerprinted to get paid

Mississippi senators to be fingerprinted to get paid

An fingerprint scanner was installed at the entrance to the Senate docket on the third floor. Senators will need to scan their fingerprints to pay for their visit to Capitol when the scanner is fully functional – which could be sometime next month. “Technology advances and the Mississippi Senate is also,” said Terry Burton (Republican), who oversees the administration of the Senate’s staff and personnel. For identification purposes, many professions require that people be fingerprinted. Non-chairs get four days, while committee chairs can make six visits to the Capitol each month. Vice chairs in the House have five days. For those visits, they receive $40 plus mileage and per diem. The federal reimbursement rate is usually around $125 per person per day. Burton stated that the fingerprint scanner will be “really simple.” It will be used to ensure accountability and make sure that no one is gaming this system. Burton stated that sometimes, members forget their cards. Andrew Ketchings, the clerk to the House said that there is currently no plan to follow the Senate’s lead and install a fingerprint scanner. To receive and record their constituent days, House members must complete paperwork. Mississippi legislator pay includes $10,000 per annum plus $1,500 per session. They also get the per diem, which is tied to the federal rate when they are in Jackson, and mileage.