Senate Bill sb0778
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Florida Senate - 2005 SB 778
By Senator Lawson
6-267A-05
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to per diem and travel
3 expenses; amending s. 112.061, F.S.;
4 establishing per diem, subsistence, and mileage
5 ranges for travel expenses of public employees;
6 conforming provisions and deleting obsolete
7 provisions; providing for future adjustments of
8 such rates; providing an effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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12 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1), paragraphs
13 (e) and (g) of subsection (3), subsection (6), paragraph (d)
14 of subsection (7), and subsection (11) of section 112.061,
15 Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (15) is added to
16 that section, to read:
17 112.061 Per diem and travel expenses of public
18 officers, employees, and authorized persons.--
19 (1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--There are inequities,
20 conflicts, inconsistencies, and lapses in the numerous laws
21 regulating or attempting to regulate travel expenses of public
22 officers, employees, and authorized persons in the state. It
23 is the intent of the Legislature:
24 (a) To remedy same and to establish uniform travel
25 reimbursement ranges for state agencies, maximum travel
26 reimbursement rates for nonstate public agencies, and
27 limitations for all public agencies, with certain justifiable
28 exceptions, applicable to all public travelers officers,
29 employees, and authorized persons whose travel expenses are
30 paid by a public agency.
31 (3) AUTHORITY TO INCUR TRAVEL EXPENSES.--
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Florida Senate - 2005 SB 778
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1 (e) The agency head, or a designated representative,
2 may pay by advancement or reimbursement, or a combination
3 thereof, the costs of per diem of travelers and authorized
4 persons for foreign travel at the current rates as specified
5 in the federal publication "Standardized Regulations
6 (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas)" and incidental expenses
7 as provided in this section.
8 (g) The secretary of the Department of Health or a
9 designee may authorize travel expenses incidental to the
10 rendering of medical services for and on behalf of clients of
11 the Department of Health. The Department of Health may
12 establish rates lower than the range maximum provided in this
13 section for these travel expenses.
14 (6) RATES OF PER DIEM AND SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE.--For
15 purposes of reimbursement rates and methods of calculation,
16 per diem and subsistence allowances are divided into the
17 following groups and rates:
18 (a) All travelers shall be allowed for subsistence
19 when traveling to a convention or conference or when traveling
20 within or outside the state in order to conduct bona fide
21 state business, which convention, conference, or business
22 serves a direct and lawful public purpose with relation to the
23 public agency served by the person attending such meeting or
24 conducting such business, either of the following for each day
25 of such travel at the option of the traveler:
26 1. Between $50 and $96 Fifty dollars per diem for
27 state travelers or up to $96 for nonstate travelers; or
28 2. If actual expenses exceed the amount permitted in
29 subparagraph 1. $50, the amounts permitted in paragraph (b)
30 for subsistence meals, plus actual expenses for lodging at a
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1 single-occupancy rate to be substantiated by paid bills
2 therefor.
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4 When lodging or meals are provided at a state institution, the
5 traveler shall be reimbursed only for the actual expenses of
6 such lodging or meals, not to exceed the maximum provided for
7 in this subsection.
8 (b) All travelers shall be allowed the following
9 amounts for subsistence while on Class C travel on official
10 business as provided in paragraph (5)(b):
11 1. Breakfast. State travelers are allowed $5 and
12 nonstate travelers $5. $3
13 2. Lunch. State travelers are allowed $11 and nonstate
14 travelers $11. $6
15 3. Dinner. State travelers are allowed $23 and
16 nonstate travelers $23. $12
17 (c) No one, whether traveling out of state or in
18 state, shall be reimbursed for any meal or lodging included in
19 a convention or conference registration fee paid by the state.
20 (d) For the 2004-2005 fiscal year only and
21 notwithstanding the other provisions of this subsection, for
22 Class C travel, a state traveler shall not be reimbursed on a
23 per diem basis nor shall a traveler receive subsistence
24 allowance. This paragraph expires July 1, 2005.
25 (7) TRANSPORTATION.--
26 (d)1. The use of privately owned vehicles for official
27 travel in lieu of publicly owned vehicles or common carriers
28 may be authorized by the agency head or his or her designee.
29 Whenever travel is by privately owned vehicle:
30 a. A state, the traveler shall be entitled to a
31 mileage allowance at a fixed rate of 38 25 cents per mile;
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1 b. A nonstate traveler shall be entitled to a mileage
2 allowance of 38 for state fiscal year 1994-1995 and 29 cents
3 per mile; or
4 c. The traveler shall be entitled to thereafter or the
5 common carrier fare for such travel, as determined by the
6 agency head.
7 2. Reimbursement for expenditures related to the
8 operation, maintenance, and ownership of a vehicle shall not
9 be allowed when privately owned vehicles are used on public
10 business and reimbursement is made pursuant to this paragraph,
11 except as provided in subsection (8).
12 3.2. All mileage shall be shown from point of origin
13 to point of destination and, when possible, shall be computed
14 on the basis of the current map of the Department of
15 Transportation. Vicinity mileage necessary for the conduct of
16 official business is allowable but must be shown as a separate
17 item on the expense voucher.
18 (11) TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION AND VOUCHER FORMS.--
19 (a) Authorization forms.--The Department of Financial
20 Services shall furnish a uniform travel authorization request
21 form which shall be used by all state officers, and employees,
22 and authorized persons when requesting approval for the
23 performance of travel to a convention or conference. The form
24 shall include, but not be limited to, provision for the name
25 of each traveler, purpose of travel, period of travel,
26 estimated cost to the state, and a statement of benefits
27 accruing to the state by virtue of such travel. A copy of the
28 program or agenda of the convention or conference, itemizing
29 registration fees and any meals or lodging included in the
30 registration fee, shall be attached to, and filed with, the
31 copy of the travel authorization request form on file with the
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1 agency. The form shall be signed by the traveler and by the
2 traveler's supervisor stating that the travel is to be
3 incurred in connection with official business of the state.
4 The head of the agency or his or her designated representative
5 shall not authorize or approve such request in the absence of
6 the appropriate signatures. A copy of the travel authorization
7 form shall be attached to, and become a part of, the support
8 of the agency's copy of the travel voucher.
9 (b) Voucher forms.--
10 1. The Department of Financial Services shall furnish
11 a uniform travel voucher form which shall be used by all state
12 officers, and employees, and authorized persons when
13 submitting travel expense statements for approval and payment.
14 No travel expense statement shall be approved for payment by
15 the Chief Financial Officer unless made on the form prescribed
16 and furnished by the department. The travel voucher form shall
17 provide for, among other things, the purpose of the official
18 travel and a certification or affirmation, to be signed by the
19 traveler, indicating the truth and correctness of the claim in
20 every material matter, that the travel expenses were actually
21 incurred by the traveler as necessary in the performance of
22 official duties, that per diem claimed has been appropriately
23 reduced for any meals or lodging included in the convention or
24 conference registration fees claimed by the traveler, and that
25 the voucher conforms in every respect with the requirements of
26 this section. The original copy of the executed uniform travel
27 authorization request form shall be attached to the uniform
28 travel voucher on file with the respective agency.
29 2. Statements for travel expenses incidental to the
30 rendering of medical services for and on behalf of clients of
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1 the Department of Health shall be on forms approved by the
2 Department of Financial Services.
3 (15) STATE TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT RANGES AND
4 ADJUSTMENTS.--
5 (a) For the 2004-2005 fiscal year, state travelers may
6 receive no more than the minimum amounts for per diem as
7 provided in subparagraph (6)(a)1., subsistence as provided in
8 paragraph (6)(b), and mileage as provided in subparagraph
9 (7)(d)1.
10 (b) On or before June 30, 2005, and annually
11 thereafter, the specific amount to be paid during the
12 following fiscal year to state travelers for per diem as
13 provided in subparagraph (6)(a)1., subsistence as provided in
14 paragraph (6)(b), and mileage as provided in subparagraph
15 (7)(d)1. shall be established as follows:
16 1. The Attorney General shall establish amounts that
17 apply uniformly to all travel by the Department of Legal
18 Affairs.
19 2. The Chief Financial Officer shall establish amounts
20 that apply uniformly to all travel by the Department of
21 Financial Services.
22 3. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall establish
23 amounts that apply uniformly to all travel by the Department
24 of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
25 4. The Governor shall establish amounts that apply
26 uniformly to all travel by executive branch agencies, except
27 as otherwise provided in this paragraph.
28 5. The presiding officers of the Legislature shall
29 establish amounts that apply uniformly to all travel by
30 legislative branch agencies.
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1 6. The Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court
2 shall establish amounts that apply uniformly to all travel by
3 judicial branch agencies.
4 (c) On June 1, 2006, and annually thereafter, the
5 Department of Financial Services shall adjust by rule the
6 amounts for per diem provided in subparagraph (6)(a)1., the
7 amounts for subsistence provided in paragraph (6)(b), and the
8 amounts for mileage provided in subparagraph (7)(d)1. to
9 reflect the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for
10 All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average since June 1, 2004. The
11 annually adjusted amounts shall be rounded downward to the
12 nearest whole dollar for per diem and subsistence and to the
13 nearest whole cent for mileage and shall be effective for the
14 following fiscal year.
15 Section 2. This act shall take effect June 1, 2005.
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18 SENATE SUMMARY
19 Revises provisions relating to per diem and travel
expenses for state employees. Increases per diem,
20 subsistence, and mileage ranges for such persons. Deletes
obsolete provisions. Provides for annual increases in
21 such reimbursement rates. (See bill for details.)
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