Leaders of the Minnesota House say they will not give members their extra "per diem" pay during extended breaks, including a six-day hiatus for precinct caucuses that begins on Thursday.

The House Rules Committee approved a resolution that states that members will not be able to claim per-diem payments during any session break lasting more than three days. The current House per-diem rate, an optional payment which is in addition to salary, is $66 per day, House officials said.

Precinct caucuses are next Tuesday, Feb. 7. The House schedule calls for members to be working through Wednesday of this week, and to return to work by noon on Wednesday, Feb. 8. The Senate schedule calls work through Thursday and then a break until Feb. 8.

Gov. Mark Dayton has criticized legislators for taking such a long break just to attend precinct caucuses. In a news conference on Monday, he said, "They've only been in session for less than a week. Now they're going to take a week off to go to precinct caucuses. All you need to do is get in a car and drive to your precinct caucuses. I don't understand why they need a week."

House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, said, "Every year, there's a traditional caucus break." He emphasized that the Republican majority is moving "very aggressively" on its government-reform agenda. He added, "We've been working since we got out in July."
A second break to which the per-diem rule will apply occurs around Easter, Dean said.