February 22, 2018
Oppose Amendment Preempting Cities from Having Their Own Travel Policy
Please contact YOUR Representative on the House Government Accountability Committee ASAP (before the 9:oo a.m. meeting) and urge them to oppose language removing the ability of local governments to adopt local travel policies as authorized by FS 166.021 (9).
The good news - most of the onerous provisions in the bill dealing with travel authorization have been removed - this part is now limited to out of state travel and foreign travel only and requires elected officials to have prior governing body approval.
The bad news - everything after line 45 of the amendment, which basically does two things:
1. Adds municipalities to the provisions of s. 112.061 (per diem and travel expenses of public officers, employees) and eliminates existing law s. 166.021(9) (authorizing cities to adopt their own travel policies separately from 112.061)
2. Adds new language to s. 112.061 that will require all counties, constitutional officers and municipalities to:
-- adopt a "uniform travel policy" consistent with s. 112.061 and applicable to all public officers and employees;
--include a separate line item in the budget for the total expenses for travel.
This meeting is the final stop for the bill before the House floor.
