S-1253.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5824

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senators Heavey, Patterson and Roach

Read first time 02/14/97.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Prohibiting first class or business class commercial air travel by a public officer or employee except in limited cases, including some international travel.

    AN ACT Relating to travel by public officers and employees; and adding a new section to chapter 42.04 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 42.04 RCW to read as follows:

    First class and business class commercial air carrier accommodations may not be used by a state or local government officer, whether elected or appointed, and a state or local government employee who travels by commercial airlines in the discharge of the duties of his or her position or employment at public expense unless otherwise required as a reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities or where an emergency would warrant the travel.  An officer or employee of a local government may be authorized to travel by business or equivalent class in cases of international travel if (1) a single leg of the trip involves a commercial airline flight of at least ten hours duration, (2) the traveler engages in official business within twelve hours of arrival at the destination, and (3) business or equivalent class travel on the particular trip is expressly authorized at a public meeting by the governing body of the local government for which the traveler is an officer or employee.

                            --- END ---