S-1417.5          _______________________________________________

                            SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5303

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Heavey, Quigley, Winsley, Deccio, Hochstatter and Oke)

Read first time 02/22/95.

Restricting public and municipal officers and public employees' use of first class airplane accommodations and other benefits if traveling on public business.

     AN ACT Relating to official travel by public officers and employees; amending RCW 42.23.050; adding a new section to chapter 42.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 42.52 RCW; creating a new section; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that the practice of some public officers and employees of using first class airplane accommodations if traveling on public business is a wasteful use of public resources.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 42.04 RCW to read as follows:

     Any state or local government officer, whether elected or appointed, and any state or local government employee who is required to travel in the discharge of the duties of his or her position or employment at public expense shall minimize travel expenses when travel by commercial air carrier is required, by traveling at the least-expensive fare available for the most direct and timely routing on the carrier selected unless otherwise required as a reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 42.52 RCW to read as follows:

     A violation of section 2 of this act constitutes a violation of this chapter.

     Sec. 4.  RCW 42.23.050 and 1961 c 268 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

     Any contract made in violation of the provisions of this ((act)) chapter shall be void and the performance thereof, in full or in part, by a contracting party shall not be the basis of any claim against the municipality.  Any officer violating the provisions of this ((act)) chapter shall be liable to the municipality of which he or she is an officer for a penalty in the amount of three hundred dollars, in addition to such other civil or criminal liability or penalty as may otherwise be imposed upon him or her by law.

     In addition to all other penalties, civil or criminal, the violation by any officer of the provisions of this ((act)) chapter or of section 2 of this act shall work a forfeiture of his or her office.

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