For Immediate Release
June 30, 2008
Contact: Joe Sterns
717-787-5708
(Cell) 717-497-0806
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Senate Passes Folmer Bill Cracking Down on Abuse of State Vehicle Usage

HARRISBURG – The State Senate today unanimously approved Sen. Mike Folmer's (R-Lebanon) legislation bringing accountability to the use of state vehicles.

Specific provisions of the legislation (SB 1499) are as follows:  

• Any state employee assigned a state vehicle would be required to maintain a monthly mileage log; 

• The Department of General Services (DGS) would be required to post mileage logs online, searchable by the following information, at a minimum: department, employee name, and vehicle make and model;

• Any state employee assigned a state vehicle would be required to reimburse the state for insurance and gasoline, based proportionally on personal usage;

• No state employee would receive a long-term assignment of a state vehicle unless he drives an average of 1,200 miles per month on official business (excluding travel to and from work); and

• Vehicles assigned to state employees would be required to bear an "official use" license plate, unless the employee performs undercover law enforcement duties.

The bill joins Sen. Folmer's Taxpayer-Funded Advertising Transparency Act in the House for consideration. Also awaiting House consideration is Sen. Folmer's military child custody legislation (SB 1107).