MADISON, Wis. -- Members of the Wisconsin Legislature collected more than $830,000 in expense money last year.

VIDEO: Watch The Report

Lawmakers are allowed to collected per diems just for showing up to work at the Capitol. Legislators do not have to show any receipts to claim a per diem; they just have to submit that they were at work that day.

The per diems are meant to go toward expenses for lawmakers while they are in Madison. State lawmakers from outside Dane County can collect $88 per day in reimbursement for expenses. Legislators from Dane County can collect $44 a day.

In a "Reality Check," WISC-TV looked at how claimed the most and least per diem in 2008.

Records released Friday by the Assembly clerk's office show that two state representatives tied for the most amount of per diem claimed by any legislator in 2008.

Former state Republican Rep. Terry Musser of River Falls, and Democratic Rep. Marlin Schneider of Wisconsin Rapids each claimed $13,464 last year over 153 days. Musser did not run for re-election. Schneider is the longest serving member of the state Assembly in Wisconsin history, having been elected first in 1970.

In the state Senate, Democratic Majority Leader Russ Decker is in the top spot with $12,760 over 145 days.

Republican Sen. Neal Kedzie reported 129 days for $11,352, and Republican Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, minority leader in the Senate, took in just more than $11,000.

Sen. Kathleen Vinehout reported 120 days for $10,560. Democratic Sen. Bob Jauch clocked in 118 days for $10,384.

None of these senators were running for re-election last year, although the state Legislature was only in session until mid-March, WISC-TV reported.

In the Assembly, all were running to keep their seats. Musser and Schneider who both claimed the current maximum in the Assembly -- $13,464.

Trailing them is Democrat Leon Young, who received $12,408 for 141 days. Republican and then Assembly Majority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald claimed 139 days for a total of just more than $12,000.

Democrats Gary Sherman and Donna Seidel both claimed 130 days for $11,440.

The least amount claimed this year was by Republican Mark Gundrum, who claimed $440. He spent the bulk of the year on active duty in Iraq.

Assembly members claimed $607,750 while Senate members claimed $223,300.

The total of more than $830,000 in expense money claimed by lawmakers this year is less than last year's $1.1 million.

The total per diem is in addition to a legislator's total salary from 2008, which was more than $47,000.

For More Info:

Per Diem Ranking Report 2008 (PDF Format)
Per Diem Ranking Report 2008 (Alphabetical List) (PDF Format)