State Travel Rates are Not Changing on October 1, 2024.

Although the federal government and hotels are changing their rates on October 1, 2024, the State of Arizona rates are remaining the same. Mileage and lodging rates, under A.R.S. §§ 38-623 and 38-624, respectively, are subject to approval by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC). The General Accounting Office (GAO) has prepared and submitted the rate request, however, does not know when or if the JLBC will consider the rate change request. ADOA will continue to request consideration at the next meeting. Until new rates are approved, the current rates will remain in effect. SAAM 5095 will be updated on October 1, 2024 for the statutory change to legislative subsistence rates, but no changes will be made to the state rates for mileage, lodging, or meals and incidentals.

• Next Steps

State employee travelers and those making travel arrangements should continue to try to find lodging within the State of Arizona rates. If lodging cannot be found within the state rates, an approved exception request is required from the ADOA Deputy State Comptroller to pay for or reimburse lodging at a rate higher than the state rate. See SAAM 0015, Exceptions to Policy.

These exception requests must be processed through the employee’s agency on a Form GAO-515 and require supporting documentation including the option selected, options considered, and why other options within policy are not practicable. Whenever possible, the option selected should be no more than the federal rate. Requests should also be submitted prior to travel at least ten (10) business days in advance per policy whenever practicable, as requests made after travel require additional documentation and have a greater risk of not being approved as no changes or adjustments can be made after the travel has occurred. Complete exception requests with all required supporting documentation can be processed efficiently. Incomplete requests usually require additional communication and rework and can result in delays and possible denials.

FedRooms

The federal government awarded their travel management contract to a new vendor. As a result, the website FedRooms should no longer be available after September 30, 2024. The contract award has been protested, but GAO is assuming that the website will not be operational as of October 1, 2024 as has been announced.

Once FedRooms is no longer an option, GAO recommends that travel arrangements should be made as they have been in the past by conducting research through various search engines and checking directly with hotels for government rates.

Be very careful when booking rooms through third parties; some charge additional fees. Booking fees are addressed in SAAM 5030 and must be added to the rack rate which could result in the room exceeding the maximum allowable rate. Booking through third parties can also cause problems if the room needs to be canceled or modified which has resulted in some travelers being charged for unused rooms. It is usually better to book directly with the lodging establishment. The GAO does not recommend using third parties for booking lodging.

Delayed Flights and Bags

If a traveler’s flight or bags are delayed, the traveler should first check to see what accommodations the airline will make and pay for. It should not be assumed that the State of Arizona will automatically cover any additional costs. If an exception is needed, the request should include the efforts made by the traveler and the responses received and by whom.

Real ID Deadline Less than a Year Away

In late 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security once again extended the Real ID deadline by another two years until May 7, 2025. Travelers now have less than a year to make sure their ID is Real ID compliant. Starting May 7, 2025, travelers will need to have a Real ID to board domestic flights when traveling and to enter federal facilities such as military bases, federal courthouses, and other secured facilities. Despite several previous extensions, it is believed there will be no additional extensions after May 7, 2025. Travelers can still use their passports on domestic flights in lieu of a Real ID. See the ADOT MVD website for additional information regarding obtaining AZ ID that is compliant with the federal Real ID Act of 2005.

If there are any questions regarding this information, contact [email protected]. General travel questions should still be directed to the agency’s travel contact.