H-0899.1                  _______________________________________________

                                                      HOUSE BILL 1510

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives Romero, H. Myers, Edmondson and Bray

Read first time 01/29/93.  Referred to Committee on Local Government.

Concerning the issuance of charge cards to employees of municipal corporations and political subdivisions.

          AN ACT Relating to the use of charge cards by officers and employees of municipal corporations and political subdivisions; and amending RCW 42.24.115.

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

        Sec. 1.  RCW 42.24.115 and 1984 c 203 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) Any municipal corporation or political subdivision may provide for the issuance of charge cards to officers and employees ((for the sole purpose of covering expenses incident to authorized travel)).  Municipal corporations and political subdivisions that issue charge cards shall adopt rules for:

(a) The distribution of the charge cards;

(b) The authorization and control of the use of the charge cards;

(c) The credit limits available on the charge cards;

(d) Payments of the bills; and

(e) Other rules the municipal corporation or political subdivision determines appropriate.

          (2) Upon billing or no later than ten days of the billing date, the officer or employee using a charge card issued under this section shall submit ((a fully itemized travel)) an expense voucher.  Any charges against the charge card not properly identified on the ((travel)) expense voucher or not allowed following the audit required under RCW 42.24.080 shall be paid by the official or employee by check, United States currency, or salary deduction.

          (3) If, for any reason, disallowed charges are not repaid before the charge card billing is due and payable, the municipal corporation or political subdivision shall have a prior lien against and a right to withhold any and all funds payable or to become payable to the official or employee up to an amount of the disallowed charges and interest at the same rate as charged by the company which issued the charge card.  Any official or employee who has been issued a charge card by a municipal corporation or political subdivision shall not use the card if any disallowed charges are outstanding and shall surrender the card upon demand of the auditing officer.  The municipal corporation or political subdivision shall have unlimited authority to revoke use of any charge card issued under this section, and, upon such revocation order being delivered to the charge card company, shall not be liable for any costs.

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