HB472 Alabama 2025 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

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Summary

Primary Sponsor: Reed IngramRepresentative
Republican
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Title: State employees, travel meal allowance further provided for
Summary: HB472 would raise the in-state meal allowance for state travel from 15% to 17.5% of the per diem for trips lasting six to 12 hours, and update related in-state travel per diem rules, effective October 1, 2025.
What This Bill Does
It changes the meal allowance to 17.5% of the regular per diem for in-state trips of six to 12 hours. It maintains a minimum daily travel allowance of $75 set by the Governor and keeps the rule that no travel allowance is paid for trips under six hours; for trips not overnight, the new 17.5% rate applies for six to 12 hours, and for trips longer than 12 hours, the traveler receives one meal allowance and one-fourth of the per diem. It also adds a rule that after two consecutive months in the same location, the per diem is reduced to 75% of the regular rate, allows optional agency payment arrangements in certain training or emergency situations, and includes specific provisions for legislators about when travel is considered state service.

Who It Affects
State employees traveling within Alabama for official state business, who would see their in-state meal allowance increase to 17.5% for six-to-12-hour trips and be subject to the set per diem and related rules.
State agencies and the Legislature, which would administer or apply these allowances (including optional agency payment options in certain situations and special rules for legislators).

Key Provisions
Meal allowance increased from 15% to 17.5% of the regular per diem rate for in-state travel of six to 12 hours.
Minimum daily travel allowance fixed by the Governor at not less than $75 per day, uniform for all in-state travelers, with no double reimbursement under both this section and Section 36-7-21.
No travel allowance for trips shorter than six hours; for trips not requiring overnight stays, six-to-12-hour trips pay the 17.5% meal allowance, and trips longer than 12 hours pay one meal allowance plus one-fourth of the per diem.
After two consecutive months of staying in the same location, the per diem allowance is reduced to 75% of the regular rate; some exceptions apply and agencies may directly pay for meals/per diem to contracted facilities in certain training or emergency scenarios, not exceeding the individual travel allowance.
Exemptions and special rules for lawmakers, including determining if travel is in the service of the state and specific per diem rules related to sessions and interim committee days.
Effective date: October 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: State Government