§ 44-08-04 — Expense account - Amount allowed - Verification

1. Except as provided in section 44-08-04.1, each elective or appointive officer,
employee, representative, or agent of this state, or of any of its subdivisions, agencies,
bureaus, boards, or commissions, may make claim for meals and lodging while
engaged in the discharge of a public duty away from the claimant's normal working
and living residence for all or any part of any quarter of a day. Claims may also be
made for meals that are included as part of a registration fee for a conference,
seminar, or other meeting and for meals attended at the request of and on behalf of

the state or any of its subdivisions, agencies, bureaus, boards, or commissions;
however, if a meal is included in a registration fee, the applicable quarter allowance
cannot be claimed for that meal. Claims for meals specifically included in a registration
fee for a conference, seminar, or other meeting must be allowed even if the city at
which the conference, seminar, or meeting is held or the meal is provided is the
claimant's normal working and living residence. If a higher education athletic team or
other organized institution organization group meal is attended at the request of and
on behalf of the institution, actual expenses for the entire group, including coaches,
trainers, and other employees, may be paid or submitted for payment on a team or
group travel expense report; subsection 2 does not apply; and officers and employees
are not required to document individual expenses or submit individual travel
reimbursement vouchers. Reimbursement is allowed only for overnight travel or other
travel, away from the normal place of employment, for four hours or more. Verification
of expenses by receipt is required only for lodging expenses.
2. For travel within the state, the following rates for each quarter of any twenty-four-hour
period must be used:
a. First quarter is from six a.m. to twelve noon and the sum must be nine dollars.
First quarter reimbursement may not be made if travel began after seven a.m.
b. Second quarter is from twelve noon to six p.m. and the sum must be fourteen
dollars.
c. Third quarter is from six p.m. to twelve midnight and the sum must be twenty-two
dollars.
d. Fourth quarter is from twelve midnight to six a.m.
3. The allowance for out-of-state meals, within the continental United States, is equal to
the per diem meals rate in the city for which a claim is made on that day as
established by rule for federal employees by the United States general services
administration and must be allocated twenty percent to the first quarter, thirty percent
to the second quarter, and fifty percent to the third quarter.
4. The allowance for meals in noncontinental United States and overseas nonforeign
areas, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam, is equal to the per diem meals rate in the
city for which a claim is made on that day as established by rule for federal employees
established by the United States per diem committee.
5. The allowance for meals outside the United States is equal to the per diem meals rate
in the city for which a claim is made on that day as established by rule for federal
employees established by the United States department of state.
6. The allowance for in-state lodging must be equal to the United States general services
administration lodging rate for the North Dakota city for which the lodging claim is
made, plus any additional applicable state or local taxes. The director shall establish a
policy to set the lodging allowance in instances when the United States general
services administration lodging rate is not available. The allowance for lodging outside
the state must be the actual lodging expense.
7. A department, institution, or agency of this state may set a rate for travel expenses
outside the state less than those set forth in this section. Verification of any other type
of expense not prescribed by this section must be as prescribed by the office of the
budget except no receipt may be required for taxi or cab fares of ten dollars or less.
The office of management and budget shall disapprove any claim it determines to be
in error or unlawful or not within the limits of legislative appropriations.