The Office of Financial Management (OFM) sets allowances for subsistence, lodging, and travel expenses for elective and appointive officials and state employees.  Part-time groups are identified as class one through class five for setting any additional compensation or allowances:

• class one includes part-time groups which are established by the executive, legislative, or judicial branch to participate in state government and which functions primarily in an advisory, coordinating, or planning capacity;
• class two groups include agricultural commodity boards or commissions;
• class three includes part-time groups which have rulemaking authority, perform quasi-judicial functions, have responsibility for the administration or policy direction of a state agency or program, or perform regulatory or licensing functions with respect to a specific profession, occupation, business, or industry;
• class four includes part-time groups that have rulemaking authority, perform quasi-judicial functions, or have responsibility for the administration or policy direction of a state agency or program; have duties deemed by the Legislature to be of overriding sensitivity and importance to the public welfare and operation of state government; and requires service from its members representing significant demand on their time that is normally in excess of 100 hours of meeting time per year; and
• class five includes part-time commissions that have rulemaking authority, perform quasi-judicial functions, have responsibility for the policy direction of a health profession credentialing program, and perform regulatory and licensing functions with respect to a licensed health care profession.

No person designated as a member of a class one through three or class five group may receive an allowance for subsistence, lodging, or travel expenses if the cost is funded by the State General Fund.  Exceptions may be granted for the critically necessary work of an agency if approved by the head of the executive branch agency, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the House Chief Clerk or the Secretary of Senate, as appropriate.  Groups using funds from sources other than State General Fund are encouraged to reduce travel, lodging, and other costs associated with conducting the business of the group.  All classes are directed, if feasible, to use methods of conducting meetings that do not require members to travel while still maximizing member and public participation.

Agencies, boards, commissions, and other similar groups may provide a stipend, not to exceed $200, for each day an eligible member attends an official meeting or performs statutorily prescribed duties approved by the chairperson of the group.  Allowances for child and adult care reimbursement, lodging, and travel expenses may also be provided to eligible individuals in addition to stipend amounts.  Stipends and reimbursements do not count as income or assets when calculating an individual's eligibility for state benefits and do not create an employment relationship with the state.
 
Unless they are employed by a federal, state, or local government agency and are otherwise receiving compensation from such government for their participation, the following are eligible for stipends:

• any member of a group formed by a state office, agency, board, commission, or other similar entity if they are low income or part of an underrepresented demographic that will be directly or disproportionately impacted by decisions made by the group; and  
• individuals with lived experience who are not otherwise compensated for their attendance at meetings to support their participation in class one groups when the agency determines such participation is desirable to implement principles of equity. 

 
Agencies, boards, commissions and other similar groups must take reasonable measures to ensure the process for seeking and securing stipends is accessible to those who are eligible.
 
OFM must establish model policies for stipends, reimbursements, and compensation for members of part-time groups.  OFM must establish a work group of state agencies to provide feedback and recommendations for the model policies.
 
The following definitions apply:

• "low-income" means an individual whose income is not more than 400 percent of the federal poverty level, adjusted for family size; and
• "group" means a board, commission, council, committee, or other similar group.