SB217 Alabama 2018 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Clyde ChamblissSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2018

Title

State employees, certification by agency head required prior to certain travel in service of the state, Sec. 36-7-21 am'd.

Summary

SB 217 would require prewritten authorization and certification by agency heads for state travel reimbursements, tightening oversight of travel for state employees and certain officials, with immediate effect after passage and governor approval.

What This Bill Does

It amends Section 36-7-21 to require written authorization before travel that may be reimbursed, including a certification that the travel is necessary. It extends the same documentation requirements to in-state travel as to out-of-state travel, and for in-state travel, the authorizing agency head must certify that the trip is for attending or hosting a convention or meeting of a dues-paying organization and that membership is documented. It establishes that agency heads’ own travel for which reimbursement is sought must have prior written authorization from the Governor, with the Finance Director allowed to set supporting policies. It also sets specific authorities for travel approval across legislative, judicial, higher education, and Agriculture departments, and notes an exemption for certain insurance examiners.

Who It Affects

• State employees traveling in service of the state (within Alabama or outside) for conventions or meetings, who would need written authorization and documented justification for reimbursement.
• Agency heads and their staff, who must provide written authorization and, for agency-head travel, obtain Governor approval; membership documentation may be required.
• Members and staff of the Legislature, whose travel must be authorized in writing by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and respective clerks/directors.
• Judicial Department personnel, whose travel must be authorized in writing by the Chief Justice.
• Representatives and staff of colleges and universities, whose travel must be authorized by institution presidents (with potential prepayment of expenses allowed).
• Staff of the Department of Agriculture and Industries, whose travel must be authorized by the Commissioner.
• Examiners designated by the Department of Insurance for insurance-related examinations, who are not subject to these requirements.

Key Provisions

• Travel eligible for reimbursement must be fully authorized in writing in advance, with certification from the agency head that the travel is necessary.
• In-state travel must follow the same documentation requirements as out-of-state travel.
• For in-state travel, the written authorization must certify that the trip is for attending or hosting a convention, conference, seminar, or meeting of a state, regional, or national organization, and that the traveler is a dues-paying member with documentation on file.
• Agency heads seeking reimbursement for their own travel must obtain prior written authorization from the Governor, and the Finance Director may establish policies to help decide if travel is reimbursable.
• Different authorization pathways exist for the Legislative, Judicial, higher education, and Agriculture departments (e.g., President of the Senate or Speaker of the House for legislative travel; Chief Justice for judicial travel; presidents of institutions for higher education; Commissioner for Agriculture travel).
• The section does not apply to examiners or other persons designated by the Insurance Commissioner for examinations related to insurers under Section 27-2-25.
• The act becomes effective immediately after its passage and approval by the Governor.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

State Employees