State lawmaker says there’s renewed interest in judicial travel reimbursement limits after Fox 8 Investigation
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State lawmaker says there’s renewed interest in judicial travel reimbursement limits after Fox 8 Investigation
Rep. Jerome Zeringue (R-Houma) said lawmakers contacted him in support of his arguments. Fox 8 investigation found the state Fifth Circuit Appeals Court reimbursed two of its judges more than $48,000 since July 2021. State employees are currently reimbursed at those rates. State Supreme Court Justices pushed against the bill, with Justice William Crain speaking against it in committee in 2023. He suggested lawmakers slash the judiciary’s budget instead of the per diems. The issue is expected to come back up in the next two years.
Rep. Jerome Zeringue (R-Houma) said lawmakers contacted him in support of his arguments that the Louisiana Judiciary should adopt federal rates for travel reimbursement.
His comments come after a Fox 8 investigation found the state Fifth Circuit Appeals Court reimbursed two of its judges more than $48,000 since July 2021 after they took trips to continuing conferences in Napa, Hawaii, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Sandestin and other locations.
“I’ve heard from other lawmakers who recognize and appreciate what we’re trying to accomplish and the need to address this issue. They feel that there are things we can do to make it consistent,” Zeringue said.
In 2023, Zeringue unsuccessfully proposed a bill which would have required the judiciary to adopt the federal GSA rates for lodging and meal reimbursements. State employees are currently reimbursed at those rates.
The Fifth Circuit records Fox 8 obtained showed the judges operated under a $118 per diem for the studied trips.
In comparison, the current GSA rate for food per diems for Napa is $92.
Zeringue argued for financial stewardship in a 2023 hearing on the bill.
“I think it also demonstrates to the public, the legislature and others they’re being responsible and reasonable with taxpayer dollars,” he said in the hearing.
He declined to say which lawmakers reached out and indicated they are wary of taking on the courts.
State Supreme Court Justices pushed against the bill, with Justice William Crain speaking against it in committee in 2023.
He suggested lawmakers slash the judiciary’s budget instead of the per diems.
“You appropriate money and we spend the money, and we face the electorate just like you do. You do not have the same regulatory oversight, this is a separation of powers issue, the same regulatory oversight over the judiciary as you do over the executive. It is a different arena,” he said in the 2023 hearing.
Zeringue vowed to bring the issue back up in the next two years.
Lawmakers are not in session until March 2026.
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