Sec. 1. 3 MRSA §2, first ¶, as amended by PL 1999, c. 509, §1, is further amended to read:

Each member of the Senate and House of Representatives, beginning with the first Wednesday of December 2000 2004 and thereafter, is entitled to $10,815 $10,245 in the first year and $7,725 $7,472 in the 2nd year of each biennium, except that if a Legislator who is a recipient of retirement benefits from the federal Social Security Administration files a written request with the Executive Director of the Legislative Council within one week after the biennium commences, the Legislator is entitled to $9,270 $8,858.50 in each year of the biennium. Each member of the Senate and the House of Representatives must receive a cost-of-living adjustment in annual legislative salary, except that the percentage increase may not exceed 5% in any year. Beginning December 1, 2001, the salary for each legislative session must be adjusted each December 1st by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the most recently concluded fiscal year. In addition, each Legislator is entitled to be paid for travel at each legislative session once each week at the same rate of 28.8 cents per mile to and from that Legislator's place of abode as state employees receive, the mileage to be determined by the most reasonable direct route, except that Legislators may be reimbursed for tolls paid for travel on the Maine Turnpike as long as they have a receipt for payment of the tolls, such tolls to be reimbursed when Legislators use the Maine Turnpike in traveling to and from sessions of the Legislature or in performance of duly authorized committee assignments. Each Legislator is entitled to mileage on the first day of the session, and those amounts of salary and expenses at such times as the Legislature may determine during the session, and the balance at the end of the session.

Sec. 2. 3 MRSA §2, 3rd ¶, as corrected by RR 2001, c. 2, Pt. A, §1, is amended to read:

Except as provided in this section, each member of the Senate and House of Representatives is entitled to a meal allowance in the amount of $32 $28.80 and a housing allowance in the amount of $38 for each day in attendance at sessions of the Legislature and for each day the member occupies overnight accommodations away from home either immediately preceding or immediately following attendance at daily sessions of the Legislature. The presiding officers may establish reasonable policies regarding allowances for meals and overnight accommodations for the day immediately preceding the session, which may include policies regarding whether an allowance is paid, whether the full amount or a portion of the statutory allowance is paid and whether receipts are required. In lieu of