WSR 25-09-011
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
[Filed April 3, 2025, 2:17 p.m., effective May 4, 2025]
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: In response to a petition for rule making, the department of agriculture is proposing to clarify current rule language by replacing all gender-specific pronouns with modern gender-inclusive pronouns.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 16-575-030.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 25-03-145 on January 22, 2025.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: April 3, 2025.
Derek I. Sandison
Director
RDS-6129.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 03-01-048, filed 12/10/02, effective 1/10/03)
WAC 16-575-030Washington wine commission—Travel reimbursement policy.
((1.))(1) Except as provided in subsection (9) of this section ((9 below)), all travel by commissioners and by commission staff must be approved in advance of departure.
((2.))(2) Except as provided in subsection (9) of this section ((9 below)), each commissioner or commission employee expecting to travel on official wine commission business shall prepare a detailed, written description of the purpose of the proposed trip together with an estimate of expenses to be incurred for transportation, lodging, meals, promotional hosting, and all other costs which ((he/she expects))they expect to incur in connection with such travel.
((3.))(3) Reimbursement for transportation expenses shall be at actual cost subject to the following limitations. Air travel must be on US carriers if available. No business or first class air travel will be approved or reimbursed. If a commissioner or commission employee uses ((his/her))their automobile for transportation, mileage shall be reimbursed at the current rate established by the Internal Revenue Service for business travel.
((4.))(4) Reimbursement for lodging expenses shall be at actual cost up to a maximum of ((two hundred))200 percent of the per diem lodging rates for ((US))U.S. federal agency employees established by the ((US))U.S. General Services Administration.
((5.))(5) Reimbursement for meals shall be at actual cost, provided that such costs are reasonable for the particular market in which the expense is incurred.
((6.))(6) Travel by commissioners and by the executive director of the Washington wine commission must be approved in advance by the chairperson of the commission. Travel by other commission staff must be approved in advance by the executive director of the commission.
((7.))(7) Each person traveling on official commission business shall submit a written request for reimbursement within ((forty-five))45 days after returning to the office from such trip. Written receipts for each expense in excess of ((twenty-five dollars))$25 for which reimbursement is requested must accompany the reimbursement request. Expenses will not be reimbursed unless such a request, accompanied by receipts where required, is timely submitted.
((8.))(8) Expenses which have not been approved in advance will not be reimbursed unless the employee establishes, to the satisfaction of the person who reviewed and approved the estimated expenses, that the expense was both unanticipated and reasonably incurred.
((9.))(9) No advance approval of estimated travel expenses is required for attendance at a regular or special meetings of the commission or a committee thereof within the state of Washington. If attendance at such a meeting requires the commissioner/employee to travel at least ((one hundred))100 miles from ((his/her))their usual place of business, ((he/she is))they are entitled to be reimbursed for the actual cost of one night's lodging, subject to the limits set forth in subsection (4) of this section ((4 above)). ((He/she is))They are also entitled to reimbursement for costs of transportation and meals as provided in ((sections 3 and 5))subsections (3) and (5) of this section.