The Senate passed a de facto limit on legislative sessions Thursday, voting 37 to 11 to limit the number of days lawmakers will receive their daily expense reimbursement for food and lodging.

The idea is that if legislators don't receive their $104 a day for expenses, they won't want to stay in session. They would be limited to 135 days in odd-numbered or "long" session years and 60 days in even-numbered years. The bill's chief sponsor, Sen. Tony Rand, said he is taking this approach after several attempts to put a limit on the number of days for a session, which the Senate passed in previous years but the House rejected.

"If we do not get some control over the length of time we spend here," said Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat and Senate majority leader, "we do damage to the institution of the legislature."

Opponents said the bill suggested lawmakers were in office only for money, despite the $13,951 salary, and didn't allow for extraordinary circumstances when legislators need to keep working past a certain date.

"There should be a return on the investment of time," said Sen. Malcolm Graham, a Charlotte Democrat.

Senators overwhelmingly approved a companion bill to convene an organizing session in January but not return to Raleigh for three weeks when committees are named and debate on bills can begin.