(1) The director of financial management shall prescribe reasonable allowances to cover reasonable and necessary subsistence and lodging expenses for elective and appointive officials and state employees while engaged on official business away from their designated posts of duty. The director of financial management may prescribe and regulate the allowances provided in lieu of subsistence and lodging expenses and may prescribe the conditions under which reimbursement for subsistence and lodging may be allowed. The schedule of allowances adopted by the office of financial management may include special allowances for foreign travel and other travel involving higher than usual costs for subsistence and lodging. The allowances established by the director shall not exceed the rates set by the federal government for federal employees. However, during the 2003-05 fiscal biennium, the allowances for any county that is part of a metropolitan statistical area, the largest city of which is in another state, shall equal the allowances prescribed for that larger city.
(2) Those persons appointed to serve without compensation on any state board, commission, or committee, if entitled to payment of travel expenses, shall be paid pursuant to special per diem rates prescribed in accordance with subsection (1) of this section by the office of financial management.
(3) The director of financial management may prescribe reasonable allowances to cover reasonable expenses for meals, coffee, and light refreshment served to elective and appointive officials and state employees regardless of travel status at a meeting where: (a) The purpose of the meeting is to conduct official state business or to provide formal training to state employees or state officials; (b) the meals, coffee, or light refreshment are an integral part of the meeting or training session; (c) the meeting or training session takes place away from the employee's or official's regular workplace; and (d) the agency head or authorized designee approves payments in advance for the meals, coffee, or light refreshment. In order to prevent abuse, the director may regulate such allowances and prescribe additional conditions for claiming the allowances.
(4) Upon approval of the agency head or authorized designee, an agency may serve coffee or light refreshments at a meeting where: (a) The purpose of the meeting is to conduct state business or to provide formal training that benefits the state; and (b) the coffee or light refreshment is an integral part of the meeting or training session. The director of financial management shall adopt requirements necessary to prohibit abuse of the authority authorized in this subsection.
(5) The director of financial management shall prescribe reasonable allowances to cover reasonable and necessary child and adult care expenses incurred by eligible members of a class one board, commission, council, committee, or similar group, who are authorized under RCW
43.03.220 to receive such allowances, while attending an official meeting or performing statutorily prescribed duties approved by the chairperson of the group.
(6) The schedule of allowances prescribed by the director under the terms of this section and any subsequent increases in any maximum allowance or special allowances for areas of higher than usual costs shall be reported to the ways and means committees of the house of representatives and the senate at each regular session of the legislature.
(7) No person designated as a member of a class one through class three or class five board, commission, council, committee, or similar group may receive an allowance for subsistence, lodging, or travel expenses if the allowance cost is funded by the state general fund, unless authorized under RCW
43.03.220 or granted an exception under RCW
43.03.049.
