House Speaker J.D. Mesnard is enacting new travel restrictions on members a year after his predecessor was forced to reimburse taxpayers for more than $12,000 in improper expenses.
The new policy unveiled Thursday limits when lawmakers can charge mileage for trips to the Capitol and around their legislative districts. Mesnard said the rules, coupled with public disclosure, should prevent abuse.
"Obviously, travel in the past has been a point of controversy with some decisions that have been made previously,” Mesnard said.
Mesnard is referring to former speaker David Gowan who was caught making questionable claims for travel reimbursement.
The speaker said that when he took office in January he wanted to revisit all House policies. But he conceded that the question of legislative travel was a priority.
The Arizona Capitol Times first published an article about the misuse of state vehicles by Gowan and other top Republican lawmakers last year.