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Blackman Sponsors Bill To Limit Travel Expenses For Public Officials

Walt Blackman
Howard Fischer/Capitol Media Services
Walt Blackman

A bill sponsored by Rep. Walt Blackman would prevent public officials from being reimbursed for traveling by air for anything more than the cost of flying coach.

The Snowflake Republican’s bill follows reports that Northern Arizona University paid President Rita Cheng more than $30,000 for business- and firsts-class airfare to Russia in 2019. 

A report by the Arizona Auditor General found that university officials didn’t follow travel policies when reimbursing Cheng.

Blackman’s bill specifies that public dollars can’t be spent on upgrades for business-class or first-class seating.

Cheng told the Arizona Republic she’ll pay back the university the difference between coach and business-class tickets.

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Ben Giles is a senior editor at KJZZ.