JEFFERSON CITY - The House Administration and Accounts Committee unanimously voted to freeze per diem increases for Missouri legislators as an attempt to aid the state's ailing budget.

The committee heard testimony on two similar bills that would freeze legislators' daily expense reimbursements at Sept. 2009 rates - $87.20 per day. Currently, legislators are reimbursed $103.20 for each day spent at the capitol, 80 percent of the federal per diem established by the Internal Revenue Service for Jefferson City.

"I think we're going to show the people of the state of Missouri that we're cutting back," Rep. Kenny Jones, R-Clarksburg, said during the hearing.

This daily decrease of $16 would save the House $182,560 and the Senate $44,064 for a total saving of $226,624, according to state legislative staff.

Last month Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, sponsored a similar bill in the Senate reducing reimbursement rates to Sept. 2009 levels.

The hearing came on the same day the Senate discussed prohibiting an amendment to require two years between allowing former legislators leaving office and becoming a lobbyist or being appointed to a state department position.

The hearing came the same day as Senate discussion on provisions that would make legislators wait two years before taking lobbying or state department positions.