38-626. Out-of-state travel; approval; exemptions

A. When the official duties or activities of a public officer, deputy or employee of the state or of any department, institution, commission, board or other agency of the state necessitate out-of-state travel, the travel order shall be countersigned by the agency head or by the president of the respective university for its university employees and is authority to pay the claims from any funds available for such travel. The agency head or the university president may delegate the authority to countersign out-of-state travel orders. Except as provided by subsection B, the department of administration shall:

1. Adopt policies and procedures for the approval of out-of-state travel orders.

2. Disseminate these policies and procedures to all agencies.

3. Perform compliance reviews on out-of-state travel orders for compliance with the policies and procedures.

4. Require that all outside travel orders shall be available for public inspection.

B. The Arizona board of regents is responsible for implementing the provisions of subsection A, paragraphs 1, 3 and 4, for the universities under its jurisdiction.

C. The requirements of subsection A shall not apply under the following:

1. When, by the shortest practical routing, travel through an adjoining state is necessary to reach remote areas of this state.

2. When any legislative member, officers and employees of the legislature, the legislative council, joint legislative budget committee members and employees, and other legislative interim committee members are traveling on official business.