House to repeal and replace Gowan’s travel policy

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After former House Speaker David Gowan got caught using state fleet vehicles for his own personal and campaign purposes, he changed the House rules to encourage all lawmakers to use state fleet vehicles for their travels.

But new House Speaker J.D. Mesnard said he plans to repeal those rules Gowan implemented and — with help from a bipartisan committee — come up with a new set of rules to govern how lawmakers are reimbursed for their travel expenses.

As a stopgap measure while the committee works out the details, Mesnard has introduced HB2227, which would tie lawmakers’ reimbursement rates to the federal reimbursement rate, meaning lawmakers would get an additional 9 cents per mile.

Mesnard noted that every member of both House and Senate Republican and Democratic leadership has signed on as cosponsors of his bill.

First of all, Mesnard said he wants to disallow lawmakers from using state fleet vehicles in most cases. Lawmakers would be allowed to use the vehicles if they were taking several staff members on a trip with them, Mesnard said, because it’s actually more cost effective than paying out mileage reimbursement to several people.

Read more at AZ Capitol Times

Corrie O'Connor