SB0126

SENATE BILL 126

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024

INTRODUCED BY

William P. Soules

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS; ADJUSTING THE REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE AND PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPLANE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1. Section 2-1-9 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1971, Chapter 1, Section 11, as amended) is amended to read:

"2-1-9. OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL--IN-STATE TRAVEL.--

A. Out-of-state travel of members, officers and employees of the legislative branch of government shall be exempt from approval by any member of the executive branch.

B. Members of the legislature serving on official business for interim committees within the state shall receive:

(1) per diem at the internal revenue service per diem rate as provided in Section 2-1-8 NMSA 1978 for each day served, including travel time, and the cost of public transportation by the shortest, most direct route or mileage for each mile traveled by the shortest, most direct route by [automobiles] automobile or airplane at the [internal revenue service] standard mileage rate [or by privately owned aircraft at the air mileage rate set out by the rules adopted by the department of finance and administration pursuant to the Per Diem and Mileage Act] set by the United States general services administration for privately owned automobile and privately owned airplane; and

(2) per diem for one additional day at the internal revenue service per diem rate as provided in Section 2-1-8 NMSA 1978 if, in order to serve on official business for an interim committee, a legislator travels to a location that is one hundred or more miles from the location of the legislator's point of departure; provided that, pursuant to policies adopted by the New Mexico legislative council, per diem under this paragraph shall be paid only if the legislator is not entitled to per diem for travel time as provided in Paragraph (1) of this subsection.

C. Reimbursement for out-of-state travel on committee business shall be as follows:

(1) the cost of the tickets on public transportation by the shortest, most direct route and the cost of airport parking; or

(2) mileage at the same rates established for in-state travel if automobiles or private airplanes are used, based on official mileage by the shortest, most direct route; and

(3) per diem for the number of days spent in travel and on committee business at the in-state rate provided for in Section 2-1-8 NMSA 1978; and

(4) in no event, however, shall the reimbursement for out-of-state travel exceed the dollar amount that would be due if the member had used first class public air transportation by the shortest, most direct route."

SECTION 2. Section 10-8-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1963, Chapter 31, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

"10-8-4. PER DIEM AND MILEAGE RATES--IN LIEU OF PAYMENT.--

A. Notwithstanding any other specific law to the contrary and except as provided in Subsection I of this section, every nonsalaried public officer shall receive either reimbursement pursuant to the provisions of Subsection K or L of this section or per diem expenses in the following amounts for a board or committee meeting attended; provided that the officer shall not receive per diem expenses for more than one board or committee meeting that occurs on the same day; or for each day spent in discharge of official duties for travel within the state but away from the officer's home:

(1) forty-five dollars ($45.00) if the officer physically attends the board or committee meeting for less than four hours or the officer attends a virtual meeting of any duration during a single calendar day; or

(2) ninety-five dollars ($95.00) if the officer physically attends the board or committee meeting for four hours or more during a single calendar day.

B. Every salaried public officer or employee who is traveling within the state but away from the officer's or employee's home and designated post of duty on official business shall receive either reimbursement pursuant to the provisions of Subsection K or L of this section or for each day spent in the discharge of official duties, the amount established by the department of finance and administration for the fiscal year in which the travel occurs. The department of finance and administration shall establish the reimbursement rate to be used for the next fiscal year by May 1 of each fiscal year; provided that such rate shall take into consideration the rates available for lodging, meals and incidentals as determined by the United States general services administration for that period of time.

C. Every public officer or employee who is traveling outside of the state on official business shall receive either reimbursement pursuant to the provisions of Subsection K or L of this section or for each day spent in the discharge of official duties, the amount established by the department of finance and administration for the fiscal year in which the travel occurs. The department of finance and administration shall establish the reimbursement rate to be used for the next fiscal year by May 1 of each fiscal year; provided that such rate shall take into consideration the rates available for lodging, meals and incidentals as determined by the United States general services administration for that period of time. For a salaried public officer or employee of a local public body or state agency, expenses shall be substantiated in accordance with rules promulgated by the secretary of finance and administration, and the secretary may promulgate rules defining what constitutes out-of-state travel for the purposes of the Per Diem and Mileage Act. For a public officer or employee of a public post-secondary educational institution, expenses shall be substantiated in accordance with rules promulgated by the governing board of that public post-secondary educational institution, and the governing board may promulgate rules defining what constitutes out-of-state travel for the purposes of the Per Diem and Mileage Act.

D. Every public officer or employee shall receive [up to the internal revenue service] the standard mileage rate set by the United States general services administration as of January 1 of the previous year for each mile traveled in a privately owned [vehicle] automobile or [eighty-eight cents ($.88) a mile for each mile traveled in] a privately owned airplane if the travel is necessary to the discharge of the officer's or employee's official duties and if the private conveyance is not a common carrier; provided, however, that only one person shall receive mileage for each mile traveled in a single privately owned [vehicle] automobile or airplane, except in the case of common carriers, in which case the person shall receive the cost of the ticket in lieu of the mileage allowance.

E. The per diem and mileage or per diem and cost of tickets for common carriers paid to salaried public officers or employees is in lieu of actual expenses for transportation, lodging and subsistence.

F. In addition to the in-state per diem set forth in this section, the department of finance and administration, by rule, may authorize a flat subsistence rate in the amount set by the legislature in the general appropriation act for commissioned officers of the New Mexico state police in accordance with rules promulgated by the department of finance and administration.

G. In lieu of the in-state per diem set in Subsection B of this section, the department of finance and administration may, by rule, authorize a flat monthly subsistence rate for certain employees of the department of transportation; provided that the payments made under this subsection shall not exceed the maximum amount that would be paid under Subsection B of this section.

H. Per diem received by nonsalaried public officers for travel on official business or in the discharge of their official duties, other than attending a board or committee meeting, and per diem received by public officers and employees for travel on official business shall be prorated in accordance with rules of the department of finance and administration or the governing board.

I. The provisions of Subsection A of this section do not apply to payment of per diem expense to a nonsalaried public official of a municipality for attendance at board or committee meetings held within the boundaries of the municipality.

J. In addition to any other penalties prescribed by law for false swearing on an official voucher, it shall be cause for removal or dismissal from office.

K. With prior written approval of the secretary or the secretary's designee or the local public body, a nonsalaried public officer of a state agency or local public body, a salaried public officer of a state agency or local public body or a salaried employee of a state agency or local public body is entitled to per diem expenses under this subsection and shall receive:

(1) reimbursement for actual expenses for lodging; and

(2) reimbursement for actual expenses for meals and incidentals not to exceed the maximum amounts for in-state and out-of-state travel established by the department of finance and administration for the fiscal year in which the travel occurs; provided that the department of finance and administration shall establish the maximum rates for the reimbursement of actual expenses for meals and incidentals as described in Subsections B and C of this section.

L. With prior written approval of the governing board or its designee, a nonsalaried public officer of a public post-secondary educational institution, a salaried public officer of a public post-secondary educational institution or a salaried employee of a public post-secondary educational institution is entitled to per diem expenses under this subsection and shall receive:

(1) reimbursement for actual expenses for lodging; and

SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2024.

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