La. Admin. Code tit. 70 § V-103

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section V-103 - Authorized Use of Aircraft

A. For State Benefit. Aircraft shall be used only when the interest of the state of Louisiana is being served.

1. Official State Business. Any state officer or state employee may utilize the aircraft operated by the DOTD for general transportation purposes in the conduct of official state business, in connection with the function of the department of the state officer or employee.

2. Any statewide elected official who determines that personal or political usage of state-owned or operated aircraft is necessary in performing the duties of his/her office and should, therefore be conducted at public expense will be billed for such service at the published rate. All provisions and policy shall be applicable to travel in state operated aircraft.

3. In order to effect the provisions described above, all passengers in DOTD operated aircraft will provide specific information on the purpose of their travel at the time of reserving space and/or during check-in procedures.

B. Classes of Travelers

1. State Officer

a. Statewide elected officials, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, superintendent of education, commissioner of agriculture, commissioner of elections, commissioner of insurance.

b. Duly elected members of the Louisiana Legislature.

c. Department head as defined by Title 36 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes (secretary, deputy secretary, undersecretary, and the equivalent positions in higher education and the offices of elected officials). For the purpose of this policy, the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the senate shall be considered as being equivalent to secretary of their respective chambers. No additional levels of the chambers shall assume department head status for the legislature without prior written approval of the commissioner of administration.

2. State Employee. All employees below the level of state officer.

3. Advisors and consultants who are called upon to contribute time and services to the state who are not otherwise required to be reimbursed through a contract for professional, personal, consulting services in accordance with R.S. 39:1481 et seq.

4. Members of boards, commissions, and advisory councils required by federal or state legislation or regulation.

5. Sponsored Travelers

a. Industrial inducement prospects, when accompanied by a sponsoring state officer or employee when engaged in official state business.

b. Spouses of state officials, to the level of secretary of departments, when accompanied by the sponsoring state officer, and when engaged in official state business. Spouses may only be transported on DOTD operated aircraft on a space-available basis. The provisions of this Subparagraph shall not apply to the spouse of the duly elected governor of the state of Louisiana, when same is performing travel instead of, or on behalf of the governor, and thus is engaged in official business of the state.

c. Other persons performing official state business who have prior written approval for travel from a sponsoring state traveler or from the commissioner of administration.

6. Sponsoring State Traveler. The state officer or employee that assumes the responsibility and charges for the travel of a sponsored traveler in DOTD operated aircraft.

C. Executive Transport Aircraft

1. The primary purpose of the state executive transport aircraft fleet is to assist state officials, both elected and appointed, and others involved with appropriate business matters of the state, by easing the burden of travel. State aircraft can provide transportation when travel is required to locations which are difficult to reach or which involve time-consuming ground transportation or other problems. Travel to locations where direct commercial service is available should be scheduled only when there is significant savings in travel time or where there are other important advantages. The executive transportation fleet is to augment, rather than compete with, commercial services.

2. Agency or department heads (sponsors) may request the usage of the executive transport aircraft and they may also authorize other state employees to use the aircraft when they deem it serves an appropriate purpose. If approved by the sponsor, passengers other than state employees may travel on state aircraft in connection with appropriate business matters.

3. Reservations of executive transport aircraft should be made through the designated agency or department air transportation scheduler. If state executive transport fleet aircraft are to be used, the sponsor's scheduler or representative will coordinate travel needs with the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), Office of Flight Operations (OFO) flight scheduler.

La. Admin. Code tit. 70, § V-103

Promulgated by the Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Highways, LR 12:117 (February 1986).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 2:6 and 36:509 F(3).