HB 477

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to per diem and travel expenses; amending
3	s. 112.061, F.S.; revising per diem, subsistence, and
4	mileage rates for purposes of reimbursement of travel
5	expenses of public officers, employees, and authorized
6	persons; providing an effective date.
7
8	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10	Section 1.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1), paragraphs (e)
11	and (g) of subsection (3), subsection (6), paragraph (d) of
12	subsection (7), and subsection (11) of section 112.061, Florida
13	Statutes, are amended to read:
14	112.061  Per diem and travel expenses of public officers,
15	employees, and authorized persons.--
16	(1)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--There are inequities, conflicts,
17	inconsistencies, and lapses in the numerous laws regulating or
18	attempting to regulate travel expenses of public officers,
19	employees, and authorized persons in the state. It is the intent
20	of the Legislature:
21	(a)  To remedy same and to establish uniform travel
22	reimbursement rates for state agencies, maximum travel
23	reimbursement rates for nonstate public agencies, and
24	limitations for all public agencies, with certain justifiable
25	exceptions, applicable to all authorized travelers public
26	officers, employees, and authorized persons whose travel
27	expenses are paid by a public agency.
28	(3)  AUTHORITY TO INCUR TRAVEL EXPENSES.--
29	(e)  The agency head, or a designated representative, may
30	pay by advancement or reimbursement, or a combination thereof,
31	the costs of per diem of travelers and authorized persons for
32	foreign travel at the current rates as specified in the federal
33	publication "Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians,
34	Foreign Areas)" and incidental expenses as provided in this
35	section.
36	(g)  The secretary of the Department of Health or a
37	designee may authorize travel expenses incidental to the
38	rendering of medical services for and on behalf of clients of
39	the Department of Health. The Department of Health may establish
40	rates lower than the rate maximum provided in this section for
41	these travel expenses.
42	(6)  RATES OF PER DIEM AND SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE.--For
43	purposes of reimbursement rates and methods of calculation, per
44	diem and subsistence allowances are provided as follows divided
45	into the following groups and rates:
46	(a)  All travelers shall be allowed for subsistence when
47	traveling to a convention or conference or when traveling within
48	or outside the state in order to conduct bona fide state
49	business, which convention, conference, or business serves a
50	direct and lawful public purpose with relation to the public
51	agency served by the person attending such meeting or conducting
52	such business, either of the following for each day of such
53	travel at the option of the traveler:
54	1.  Ninety Fifty dollars per diem; or
55	2.  If actual expenses exceed $90 $50, the amounts
56	permitted in paragraph (b) for subsistence meals, plus actual
57	expenses for lodging at a single-occupancy rate to be
58	substantiated by paid bills therefor.
59
60	When lodging or meals are provided at a state institution, the
61	traveler shall be reimbursed only for the actual expenses of
62	such lodging or meals, not to exceed the maximum provided for in
63	this subsection.
64	(b)  All travelers shall be allowed the following amounts
65	for subsistence while on Class C travel on official business as
66	provided in paragraph (5)(b):
67	1.  Breakfast....$5 $3
68	2.  Lunch....$11 $6
69	3.  Dinner....$23 $12
70	(c)  No one, whether traveling out of state or in state,
71	shall be reimbursed for any meal or lodging included in a
72	convention or conference registration fee paid by the state.
73	(d)  For the 2005-2006 fiscal year only and notwithstanding
74	the other provisions of this subsection, for Class C travel, a
75	state traveler shall not be reimbursed on a per diem basis nor
76	shall a traveler receive subsistence allowance. This paragraph
77	expires July 1, 2006.
78	(7)  TRANSPORTATION.--
79	(d)1.  The use of privately owned vehicles for official
80	travel in lieu of publicly owned vehicles or common carriers may
81	be authorized by the agency head or his or her designee.
82	Whenever travel is by privately owned vehicle:
83	a.  A state, the traveler shall be entitled to a mileage
84	allowance at a fixed rate of 38 25 cents per mile;
85	b.  A nonstate traveler shall be entitled to a mileage
86	allowance of 38 for state fiscal year 1994-1995 and 29 cents per
87	mile; or
88	c.  The traveler shall be entitled to thereafter or the
89	common carrier fare for such travel, if as determined by the
90	agency head to be more economical.
91	2.  Reimbursement for expenditures related to the
92	operation, maintenance, and ownership of a vehicle shall not be
93	allowed when privately owned vehicles are used on public
94	business and reimbursement is made pursuant to this paragraph,
95	except as provided in subsection (8).
96	3.2.  All mileage shall be shown from point of origin to
97	point of destination and, when possible, shall be computed on
98	the basis of the current map of the Department of
99	Transportation. Vicinity mileage necessary for the conduct of
100	official business is allowable but must be shown as a separate
101	item on the expense voucher.
102	(11)  TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION AND VOUCHER FORMS.--
103	(a)  Authorization forms.--The Department of Financial
104	Services shall furnish a uniform travel authorization request
105	form which shall be used by all state officers, and employees,
106	and authorized persons when requesting approval for the
107	performance of travel to a convention or conference. The form
108	shall include, but not be limited to, provision for the name of
109	each traveler, purpose of travel, period of travel, estimated
110	cost to the state, and a statement of benefits accruing to the
111	state by virtue of such travel. A copy of the program or agenda
112	of the convention or conference, itemizing registration fees and
113	any meals or lodging included in the registration fee, shall be
114	attached to, and filed with, the copy of the travel
115	authorization request form on file with the agency. The form
116	shall be signed by the traveler and by the traveler's supervisor
117	stating that the travel is to be incurred in connection with
118	official business of the state. The head of the agency or his or
119	her designated representative shall not authorize or approve
120	such request in the absence of the appropriate signatures. A
121	copy of the travel authorization form shall be attached to, and
122	become a part of, the support of the agency's copy of the travel
123	voucher.
124	(b)  Voucher forms.--
125	1.  The Department of Financial Services shall furnish a
126	uniform travel voucher form which shall be used by all state
127	officers, and employees, and authorized persons when submitting
128	travel expense statements for approval and payment. No travel
129	expense statement shall be approved for payment by the Chief
130	Financial Officer unless made on the form prescribed and
131	furnished by the department. The travel voucher form shall
132	provide for, among other things, the purpose of the official
133	travel and a certification or affirmation, to be signed by the
134	traveler, indicating the truth and correctness of the claim in
135	every material matter, that the travel expenses were actually
136	incurred by the traveler as necessary in the performance of
137	official duties, that per diem claimed has been appropriately
138	reduced for any meals or lodging included in the convention or
139	conference registration fees claimed by the traveler, and that
140	the voucher conforms in every respect with the requirements of
141	this section. The original copy of the executed uniform travel
142	authorization request form shall be attached to the uniform
143	travel voucher on file with the respective agency.
144	2.  Statements for travel expenses incidental to the
145	rendering of medical services for and on behalf of clients of
146	the Department of Health shall be on forms approved by the
147	Department of Financial Services.
148	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.