For years now, taxpayers have shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars every year, compensating Utah legislators for lodging, even though many of the lawmakers never set foot in a hotel .

As the Utah Legislature convenes this year, the 104-member body will be guaranteed payment for 45 nights in Little America, at a total cost of more than half a million dollars, whether they actually stay there or not.

"It truly troubles me that we're paying a housing allowance for people who aren't staying in housing," said Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, who will sponsor legislation in the coming session to change the system. "I am very bugged by the practice."

For rural Utah legislators, setting up camp at Little America during the legislative session is pretty much a necessity. They travel hundreds of miles to serve during the session, and a round-trip commute is impractical.

To cover the costs, they are compensated more than $100 per day for the hotel costs, an amount nearly equal to their $130-a-day salary.

But other lawmakers, particularly those along the Wasatch Front, also get to pocket the lodging allowance, even if they never once lay their heads on the hotel pillow.

Last year, legislators received $107 a night for lodging, or $4,815 each for the 45 day session. Tack on the compensation for at least seven scheduled meetings held between legislative sessions, plus the two-day Special Session in September, and the tally climbs to nearly $5,800 per member -- about $600,000 in taxpayer money for the entire body.

The allowance for legislators is based on the federal government's lodging rate, meaning this session it goes up to $116 a night, guaranteeing lawmakers a raise, even though they voted during the Special Session to reject a recommended pay hike.

Valentine says he will propose legislation this session that would make the lodging expense optional: It would remain available to those who live hundreds of miles away or in the shadow of the Capitol, but only if the lawmaker actually stayed in the hotel.

Those who live near the Capitol and stayed in a hotel would have to justify that to their constituents, he said.

Valentine said he floated the idea when he was Senate President last year, but was met with resistance from some of his Republican Senate colleagues and abandoned it.

Now, out of leadership, he feels free to push it in the upcoming session and thinks it has a good chance of passage.

Rep. Jennifer Seelig, D-Salt Lake City, lives just over two miles from the Capitol, and says she stays in her home, but she's never been thrilled about the lodging allowance.

"Conceptually, I think it's definitely worth talking about, that and any other idea to be more efficient and cost-saving," she said. "I'm excited that he's thinking in that direction."

If Valentine's proposal goes through and just those legislators who live in Salt Lake and Davis counties stay in their homes, it could save taxpayers more than $300,000 next year.