HB 2397 Summary

• Allows employees to file a travel claim in lieu of submitting an affidavit for direct purchase commercial airline tickets, providing an alternative documentation method.

• Modifies per diem allowance terminology from "in lieu of subsistence" to "for meals and incidental expenses" and removes the previous $36.00 per diem cap for out-of-state travel.

• Authorizes a $10 lodging per diem allowance when a traveler has lodging provided at no cost to the state, in addition to meals and incidental expenses per diem.

• Applies the 24-hour time limitation for meal and lodging reimbursement to in-state travel when the agency determines overnight travel prior to or after the trip objective would be necessary.

• Updates statutory references from 62 O.S. 1971, Section 41.26 to 34.68 of Title 62 of the Oklahoma Statutes and becomes effective November 1, 2014.