A. There is hereby created the State Travel Office within the Purchasing Division of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services.

B. All state agencies and departments of this state may make arrangements for all air travel on scheduled commercial airlines for state employees required to travel in the course of their official duties and for all other persons traveling at state expense through the State Travel Office, except when the state agency determines that:

1. The air travel services can be secured at a cost less than that which can be secured by the State Travel Office; or

2. The air travel originates from a location outside the state and it would be impractical to arrange for the air travel through the State Travel Office; or

3. The air travel is necessitated by an emergency and time does not permit utilization of the State Travel Office's services; or

4. The air travel is part of a package arrangement made by the organization scheduling the meeting or conference.

C. All claims made for reimbursement shall contain a statement showing the reason for the exemption.

D. The State Travel Office shall promulgate rules and contract specifications to which the contract travel agencies shall be subject. The rules and specifications shall be drawn with the intent of obtaining the lowest available fares for scheduled commercial air travel.

E. At the end of each month the contract travel agencies shall furnish a statement, if requested, in a form approved by the State Travel Office, showing certain details of all travel arrangements handled to each state agency for which the contract travel agencies have furnished their services and shall also furnish copies of the statements to the State Travel Office.

Added by Laws 1985, c. 271, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1985. Amended by Laws 1986, c. 203, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1986; Laws 1993, c. 204, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Laws 1998, c. 371, § 12, eff. Nov. 1, 1998. Renumbered from § 79 of this title by Laws 1998, c. 371, § 15, eff. Nov. 1, 1998. Amended by Laws 2012, c. 106, § 4; Laws 2013, c. 15, § 101, emerg. eff. April 8, 2013; Laws 2019, c. 30, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2019.

NOTE: Laws 2012, c. 304, § 764 repealed by Laws 2013, c. 15, § 102, emerg. eff. April 8, 2013.