Arizona lawmakers adopt stricter travel policy after leader's lapses

Mary Jo Pitzl | The Republic | azcentral.com

Term limits forced David Gowan to leave the Legislature last year, but his legacy lives on — in a stricter travel policy prompted largely by his conduct.

The former House speaker admitted to lapses in his expense account after the Arizona Capitol Times raised questions about his apparent double-dipping: using state fleet vehicles for travel while also seeking reimbursement for use of his personal vehicle for those trips.

Gowan later reimbursed the state $12,000 and blamed many of the problems on an assistant whom he said filed the expense reports on his behalf.

That won't happen any more, now that the House has adopted a new travel policy. Among the conditions in the eight-page document: All reports must be signed by the lawmaker or staff member in person, not by an aide and not electronically.

In addition, fleet-vehicle use is curtailed and is only available if a lawmaker or staffer is traveling with others on state-related business. Even so, the House speaker will have to approve any such use.

The policy was written by the House Administration Committee, which Speaker J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, created when he was elected to the House's top spot. The committee is composed of House members from both parties.

The Senate is not following suit, though. It has its own policy, which staffers say is barely used since expenses are tight.

As for Gowan, the Attorney General's office still has an open investigation into his expenses.

Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com and follow her on Twitter @maryjpitzl.