Legislator 2015 per diem reaches nearly $1.8 million

Legislators in the Minnesota House and Senate were paid nearly $1.8 million to cover daily expenses for the 2015 legislative session.

That figure doesn't include travel and living expenses associated with the 2015 special session, or the  $31,140 representatives and senators earn annually.

In the Minnesota House, 48 legislators collected the maximum per diem amount of $8,778 at a rate of $66 per day.

Rep. Peter Fischer, DFL-Maplewood, collected $2,130, the lowest amount of all his colleagues.

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Senators earn $86 per day during session. Twenty-six senators requested the full amount of $11,438.

Sen. Melissa Wiklund, DFL-Bloomington, collected $7,912 for the session, putting her at the bottom of the list in the Senate.

Legislators can stipulate when and how much they collect. For instance, Wiklund collected no per diem on the weekends during this session, as well as nine days between March and April.

Sen. Carla Nelson, R-Rochester, collects only $80 per day and nothing on Sundays.

See a list of all House members who took per diem:

See a list of all senators who took per diem: