Agency out of state trips questined by #msleg working groups

Lawmakers’ challenge: Justify those out-of-state trips

Many agencies let the federal government pick up the tab for out-of-state travel. The state paid for 23 of the 440 out-of-state trips in the Department of Health last year. In the Department of Human Services, only $7,900 of the $896,000 spent on out-of-state travel came from state funds. John Davis, executive director of the Department of Human Services, said much of the travel went to federally mandated training sessions and programs.

“Unless the feds want to pick up the bill, we just don’t go,” Davis said.

Diana Mikula, executive director of the Department of Mental Health, said her department makes employees jump through a number of hoops when requesting out of state travel.

MS Today
10/25/16