FY 2008

DATE:	June 18 , 2007
SUBJECT:	Private Vehicle Mileage
EFFECTIVE DATE:	July 1 ,2007
A & R CONTACT:	Randy Kennedy Shirley Gilchrist Ginnie Schirmer Vicky Swaim	(785) 296-2125 (785) 296-2882 (785) 296-7021 (785) 296-2255	(randy.kennedy@da.ks.gov) (shirley.gilchrist@da.ks.gov) (ginnie.schirmer@da.ks.gov) (vicky.swaim@da.ks.gov)
APPROVAL:
SUMMARY:	FY 2008 Privately Owned Vehicle Mileage Reimbursement Rates .

As authorized by K.S.A.75-3203a, the Secretary of Administration has fixed the private vehicle mileage reimbursement rates for FY 2008 at:

• 30.5¢ per mile for privately owned motorcycle
• 47¢ per mile for privately owned automobile
• $1.07 per mile for privately owned airplane (based on air miles rather than highway miles)

These rates reflect an increase in the privately owned automobile rate only. 

RLM:rk

DATE:	June 18, 2007
SUBJECT:	FY 2008 Subsistence Rates
EFFECTIVE DATE:	July 1, 2007
A & R CONTACT:	Randy Kennedy	(785) 296-2125	(randy.kennedy@da.ks.gov)
	Shirley Gilchrist	(785) 296-2882	(shirley.gilchrist@da.ks.gov)
	Ginnie Schirmer	(785) 296-7021	(ginnie.schirmer@da.ks.gov)
	Vicky Swain	(785) 296-2255	(vicky.swaim@da.ks.gov)
APPROVAL:
SUMMARY:	FY 2008 Meal Allowance and Lodging Rates

As authorized by K.S.A.75-3207a, the Secretary of Administration has fixed the rates for FY 2008 at:
 

Meal Allowance:

Reduced Meal Allowance: 

If the cost of meals is included within the cost of registration fees or other fees and charges paid by the agency or supplied without cost by another party, the meals allowance should be reduced as follows:

Same Day Meal Allowance:

The rates as established in accordance with K.A.R. 1-16-18(c)(3) are the same as indicated in the table above for reduced meals allowance.

Lodging Expense Limitations:

K.S.A. 75 3207a(f) provides that the daily lodging expense limitations established above may be exceeded by the lesser of either: (1) an additional 50% of the applicable lodging expense limitation, or (2) the actual lodging expense incurred.

These lodging limits continue to be applied to the lodging rate before taxes. Thus, the amount reimbursed or paid for lodging expenses may exceed the established lodging limitation by as much as the amount of associated taxes.

RLM:rk

DATE:	July 23, 2007
SUBJECT:	Expenditure Sub-object Code for Financial Management System Development Fee
EFFECTIVE DATE:	July 1, 2007
A & R CONTACT:	Martin Eckhardt	(785) 296-2661	(martin.eckhardt@da.ks.gov)
	Brett Bauer	(785) 296-4903	(brett.bauer@da.ks.gov)
APPROVAL:
SUMMARY:	Establishment of additional expenditure sub-object code to record Financial Management System (FMS) development fee.

In accordance with Senate Bill No. 357, Section 8 (c), Session of 2007, the Secretary of Administration may establish fees and make special assessments in order to finance the costs of developing the Financial Management System. In order to account for the FMS Development Fee, a new expenditure sub-object code is being established under the category “Fees-Other Services” as follows:

The additional expenditure sub-object code will be reflected in the Uniform Expenditure Classification of Expenditure Sub-object Codes filing (PPM No. 7,002) on the Division of Accounts and Reports web site http://www.da.ks.gov/ar/ppm/.

KEO:ME:bb

DATE:	November 30, 2007
SUBJECT:	Procedures for filing 2007 Form 1099 Information Returns
EFFECTIVE DATE:	Immediately
A & R CONTACT:	Tara Schmanke	(785) 296-5304	(Tara.Schmanke@da.ks.gov)
APPROVAL:
SUMMARY:	Procedures for Filing 2007 Form 1099 Information Returns

Agencies of the State of Kansas are considered to be a single payer by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and payment information is required to be filed by one transmitter. In addition, federal laws and regulations require the filing of information returns to be submitted by magnetic media or electronically. In order to comply with the reporting requirements of the IRS and to avoid the assessment of penalties, the Division of Accounts and Reports will transmit all 2007 calendar year 1099 information returns for the State of Kansas electronically.

Some payments by state agencies are IRS reportable but are either not included in the Statewide Accounting and Reporting System (STARS) or the IRS required data is not provided by STARS. These payments require unique reporting procedures. Such expenditures include certain interest payments, State Fair premiums and purchases of real property.

Locally administered interest payments exceeding $10 are to be reported on Form 1099-INT. An example of these payments is interest paid from trust funds to clients by institutions like the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services and the Department of Corrections.

IRS regulations require the State of Kansas to report on Form 1099-S any purchases of real property exceeding $600. Additional requirements for this form include a description or address of the property and the closing date of the purchase transaction. (Rental and construction costs are not to be included).

State Fair premiums are to be reported on form 1099-MISC.

Procedures for handling 1099 information returns for calendar year 2007 are as follows:

1. Agencies that have made expenditures, as described, will be responsible for the preparation and delivery of the appropriate 1099 form to the payees prior to January 31, 2008. Do not mail forms directly to the IRS or to the Kansas Department of Revenue. The payer's FEIN to use for the State of Kansas is 48-1124839.

2. Agencies reporting applicable purchases of real property may submit the IRS and /or the State of Kansas copies of the 1099-S forms to the address below, and the Division of Accounts and Reports will submit this information to the IRS.

For those agencies with other expenditures to report, and fewer than 20 records, you may use the DA-43 form (http://da.ks.gov/ar/forms/)<------- Broken link or you may submit a text file or Excel file. If you have 20 or more records to submit they should be submitted as a text file or an Excel file in the attached format shown on the Non-STARS record layout form. All data should be remitted by February 11, 2008 to:

Division of Accounts and Reports
Central Accounting Services Section
900 SW Jackson, Room 351-S, LSOB
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1248

Attention: Tara Schmanke

3. If you are submitting a text file or Excel file please e-mail the file as an attachment to Tara.Schmanke@da.ks.gov.If any agency finds it necessary to issue a corrected information return, the payee should be provided a copy as soon as possible. The IRS copy of the corrected form (marked "corrected") should be forwarded promptly to the Central Accounting Services Section of the Division of Accounts and Reports.

KEO:ts

Attachment: Non-STARS record layout form

DATE:	November 28, 2007
SUBJECT:	1099 Reporting for BPC and BTA Transactions – Deadline for CY 2007 SOKI 1099-related JVs
EFFECTIVE DATE:	Immediately
A & R CONTACT:	Tim Hund	(785) 368-6347	(tim.hund@da.ks.gov)
	Jo Ann Remp	(785) 296-2277	(joann.remp@da.ks.gov)
APPROVAL:
SUMMARY:	1099 Reporting for BPC and BTA transactions will be automated for all transactions made on and after January 1, 2008. Deadline for CY 2007 SOKI JVs will be noon, December 28, 2007.

Over the past several years, the payment card industry (VISA, MasterCard, and American Express) has been working with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on a plan to facilitate 1099 reporting for purchasing card transactions. Draft regulations have been published, public comment heard, and hearings conducted. At this time, the IRS appears close to a decision approving VISA’s status as a Qualified Payment Card Agent (QPCA). What this means to the State of Kansas is that if VISA is approved as a QPCA, we can rely on the taxpayer identification numbers which are in the VISA system, and be assured that these numbers are accurate and periodically validated against the IRS database.

As of this time, we believe that this will be effective on January 1, 2008, which means that our CY 2008 1099s (to be issued in January 2009) must include 1099-reportable transactions made using the Business Procurement Card (BPC). The payment card industry and the IRS have further agreed that the Merchant Category Code (MCC) can be the basis for this reporting, and have designated which codes are and are not reportable.

The Division of Accounts and Reports is designing a process to automate 1099 reporting for all BPC and Business Travel Account (BTA) transactions made on and after January 1, 2008. We are in the early design phase of this process, and we will be working with UMB Bank as well as state agencies over the next several months to finalize procedures.

As we transition to this new reporting methodology, agencies currently processing JVs for 1099-reportable BPC transactions will need to process their December 2007 and January 2008 and subsequent transactions and billings as follows:

• All journal vouchers for 1099-reportable transactions appearing on the December 2007 billing (generally billed the 15th working day of the month) should be released by the agency in SOKI by noon on December 28, 2007.  These JVs reverse the payment transaction to UMB Bank’s Vendor Number and record the 1099-reportable payment against the vendor from whom the goods or services were obtained.
   
• All 1099-reportable transactions with a December 2007 transaction (swipe) date which do not appear on the December 2007 billing may be reported via SOKI JV if the agency has the necessary transaction information available.  However, if the agency does not have the necessary information available, and these transactions cannot be released in SOKI by noon on December 28, 2007, the agency should not report these in SOKI at all.
   
• All 1099-reportable transactions appearing on the January 2008 and subsequent BPC (and BTA) billings with a January transaction date and all transactions for subsequent months will be reported using a new automated central process, and agencies will no longer have to prepare SOKI journal vouchers to record these transactions against the vendor from whom the goods or services were obtained.

In addition to relieving agencies of the labor-intensive JV task each billing cycle, automating this process will also give agencies the opportunity to use their BPCs more (if they choose) since there will no longer be any reason to restrict payments for services paid with the BPC. This automated process will also allow the State of Kansas to be in compliance with reporting required transactions made using the BTA accounts.

We will keep you informed as this process evolves and will have more details at future agency gatherings and in informational circulars during the next calendar year.

KEO:jr

DATE:	November 28, 2007
SUBJECT:	BPC Program Enhancements
EFFECTIVE DATE:	Immediately
A & R CONTACT:	Tim Hund	(785) 368-6347	(tim.hund@da.ks.gov)
	Jo Ann Remp	(785) 296-2277	(joann.remp@da.ks.gov)
APPROVAL:
SUMMARY:	BPC program enhancements including direct lodging accounts, moving transactions from BTA to BPC, electronic reconciliation system and demo, online cardholder maintenance, BPC Coordinator ListServ, and maximizing BPC usage.

The Division of Accounts and Reports is pleased to announce several changes in the Business Procurement Card (BPC) Program which we hope will encourage additional use and allow agencies to maximize usage for their individual agencies.

Direct Lodging Accounts

After piloting a program with the Kansas Department of Revenue in which the business office maintained a BPC cardless account for direct lodging payments, we are pleased to offer this option to all agencies. We believe this should assist agencies, as well as employees, in making sure that state employees can travel with less out-of- pocket expense required, and hopefully address those situations in which lodging establishments are unwilling to set-up a direct bill account for one person for one night. This provides the agency with the opportunity to make sure that the lodging rate is within the state guidelines for the particular location and that only room and taxes are charged to the BPC account. This can be used for in-state or out-of-state lodging arrangements, and is strictly at the agency’s option. The agency’s BPC Coordinator should contact Tim Hund if your agency is interested in pursuing this account option.

Moving selected transactions from a BTA account to a BPC account
At the request of several agencies, and in consultation with the Division of Purchases and UMB Bank, we will now allow agencies to use a BPC account for transactions currently charged to a Business Travel Account (BTA) account on a limited basis. What this will mean is that if your agency would like to have someone in your office be able to charge airfare, car rental, registrations, and direct lodging on the same account, we will no longer require that those transactions be split between a BTA (airfare and car rental) and a BPC (registrations and lodging). This will not be mandatory, and is strictly at the agency’s option based on how this fits the agency’s business needs. In order to take advantage of this option, the agency (through their BPC Coordinator) will need to prepare and send a proposal to A & R including how you would like to structure your accounts:

• Category of transactions - airfare, car rental, miscellaneous purchases, etc.;
• Type of account – card or cardless;
• Cardholders – department secretaries, business office employee, high volume agency users, etc.;
• Internal controls / special concerns if there are any; and
• Proposed procedures for these accounts, including a proposed agency cardholder agreement if available.  This will ensure that there are procedures in place for these “special” accounts when the accounts are reviewed by outside parties including annual reviews conducted by the Division of Accounts and Reports or periodic reviews performed by the Division of Legislative Post Audit.

We will review the plan, discuss it with UMB Bank, and notify the agency BPC coordinator that it has been approved.

Electronic Reconciliation System Demo (Visa Information Management) December 11, 2007

As agency programs expand, we continue to encourage agencies to take advantage of the Visa Information Management tool, including electronic reconciliation. By using this system, your agency can reconcile and fund transactions every day, eliminate the separate BPC log, and also extract data for upload into your agency system or to STARS. If you haven’t seen the demo lately, or would like to see the system again, Ron Sager and other UMB representatives are scheduled to be available on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. to show the system, and answer questions. This is planned to be in Landon State Office Building, Room 108. Please let Tim Hund or Jo Ann Remp know if your agency would like to attend, which session you plan to attend, and how many staff you will bring so that adequate space is available.

Online Card Maintenance System

UMB Bank is making an online card maintenance system available to all agencies. With this access, agency coordinators can update transaction limits, put temporary override strategies in place, set up new accounts, order replacement cards, change card strategies, give accounts an inactive status, and close accounts. We are pleased with this enhancement to the BPC program, and encourage all BPC coordinators to take advantage of this opportunity to manage your programs. If you would like to take advantage of this access, you will need to contact UMB Bank and complete a user access form that the Bank will provide. Each agency’s BPC Coordinator will coordinate the access for their agency, and should sign the user access form as the program administrator.

BPC Coordinator ListServ

The Division of Accounts and Reports is establishing a BPC Coordinator ListServ in order that we can communicate quickly to agencies regarding the BPC program. This will not be something that you subscribe to. Rather, we will send information to the agency’s BPC coordinator, and it is that person’s responsibility to communicate the information in an appropriate manner across the agency. This should not cause concern for agencies, but will just make you aware of this new vehicle for communication.

Maximizing BPC Usage

As part of our ongoing efforts to maximize BPC usage for the State of Kansas, we plan to take advantage of at least one VISA program available to BPC programs. In the next couple of weeks, A & R plans to send a file of our FY 07 STARS statewide payments to UMB for analysis. We are looking for those vendors with which we have significant spend that will accept VISA payments. There will be several reasons why a vendor chooses to not accept VISA, including terms of existing contracts with state agencies, but this will give us some data to review and share with agencies to begin taking steps to maximize BPC use.

Any questions or concerns regarding this information, or the overall BPC program should be directed to the contacts above.

KEO:jr

DATE:	February 26, 2008
SUBJECT:	KanView – Kansas Taxpayer Transparency Program Website
EFFECTIVE DATE:	February 29, 2008
A & R CONTACT:	Martin Eckhardt	(785)-296-2661	(martin.eckhardt@da.ks.gov)
	Mike Lovich	(785)-296-2131	(mike.lovich@da.ks.gov)
APPROVAL:
SUMMARY:	Kansas Taxpayer Transparency, KanView Data, Data Confidentiality, & KanView Feedback.

The Kansas Taxpayer Transparency Program was included in legislation passed by the 2007 Legislature and signed by Governor Sebelius. This legislation (Section 163 of House Bill 2368) requires the establishment of a single searchable website, accessible at no cost to the public, containing annual revenue, expenditure and other data from the statewide accounting and payroll systems.

The goal of this legislation is to make financial activity of state government more transparent and readily accessible to the public, thus increasing accountability in state spending. The legislation gives website ownership and oversight responsibilities to the Secretary of Administration and creates the 15 member Public Finance Transparency Board as an advisory to the Secretary for website implementation and content. The website will be online starting Friday, February 29, 2008. The website name is KanView and will be found at: http://www.kansas.gov/kanview.

KanView Data

Generally, the source of KanView data is the Statewide Accounting and Reporting System (STARS). Under provisions of the Taxpayer Transparency Program, KanView will initially contain STARS historical revenue and expenditure general ledger data for FY 2006 and FY 2007. Prospectively the legislation requires data for 10 fiscal years. This data will be searchable with the capability to “drill down” to the voucher document level. Document detail level data elements displayed on KanView include Fund, Budget Unit, Program Cost Account, Sub-Object Code, Voucher, Process Date, Amount, and Vendor Name.

Data Confidentiality

The enabling legislation states that nothing permits or requires the disclosure of information within KanView which is considered confidential by federal or state law. Note that STARS contains no specific capability to identify and isolate confidential transactions. However every effort has been made protect legally confidential vendor information using a two-tiered approach to develop confidentiality methodology:

1. A&R developed blanket criteria to isolate known areas of non-disclosure. One example is expenditure object codes potentially including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) transactions.
2. Agencies were surveyed in order to identify and further isolate agency specific confidentiality requirements under state and federal law. All information received by agencies has been incorporated into the confidentiality methodology developed for KanView.

Additionally, even though the STARS vendor number (FEINs, SSNs, etc.) is a key data element in STARS, note that these identification numbers are stripped from the STARS data files before the files are used within KanView. Thus KanView contains no STARS Vendor Table numbers.

KanView Feedback

• KanView includes a user feedback web page which allows users to email their questions or comments to the State regarding the KanView website, the data content, or technical KanView issues.
• All KanView user feedback emails are routed to ARMAIL@da.ks.gov and will be monitored by the Division of Accounts and Reports (A&R).
• For agency-specific questions/comments, the email request will be forwarded from ARMAIL@da.ks.gov to the appropriate agency. The agency’s primary contact for communication will be used to forward agency specific questions/comments.  However, if your agency prefers to have these requests routed to another individual within your agency, please email the agency contact information (include agency number and name, and the contact’s name, telephone number & email address) to ARMAIL@da.ks.gov.
• The KanView user will be “cc’d” on all email requests that are forwarded from ARMAIL@da.ks.gov to agencies.
• Agencies should respond directly to the KanView user and also “cc” ARMAIL@da.ks.gov on the reply to the KanView user.

DATE:	April 10, 2008
SUBJECT:	Closing of Fiscal Year 2008 and Opening of Fiscal Year 2009
EFFECTIVE DATE:	Immediately
A & R CONTACT:	Martin Eckhardt Central Accounting Services Section	(785)-296-2661	(martin.eckhardt@da.ks.gov)
	Steve Banning Payroll Services Section	(785)-296-7059	(Steve.banning@da.ks.gov)
	Lucinda Anstaett Office of the State Treasurer	(785) 296-4151	(Lucinda@treasurer.state.ks.us)
APPROVAL:
SUMMARY:	Schedule of Accounting Events Relative to Fiscal Year Closing

This Informational Circular provides the scheduled dates for closing fiscal year 2008 and beginning fiscal year 2009.  Additional information concerning fiscal year end closing and DA-118 List of Outstanding Obligations instructions is contained in the Division of Accounts and Reports Policy and Procedure Manual filing nos. 14,002 and 14,003.  The Policy and Procedure Manual is located at http://da.ks.gov/ar/ppm/ppm01001.htm.  Other web resources available for fiscal year end processing information can be found at http://da.ks.gov/ar/yearend/default.htm. <------- Broken link

K.S.A. 75-3002 establishes the state fiscal year as commencing on the first day of July in each year and closing on the thirtieth day of June of the succeeding year.  To allow state agencies time to process as much old year business as possible, the old year records normally remain open through the second Monday of July (PPM No. 14,002).  For the fiscal year 2008 closing the cutoff date will be Monday, July 14, 2008, allowing nine processing days.  Between July 1 and July 14, the Statewide Accounting and Reporting System (STARS) will process old and new fiscal year business concurrently.  FY2009 appropriation transactions will be processed in STARS in the nightly batch cycle July 1, 2008.  FY2009 appropriations will not be available for on-line expenditure transactions until July 2, 2008.

The workload both at your agency and the Division of Accounts and Reports is greatly increased during the fiscal year end closing period.  We ask that you use the following reminders and guidelines to help facilitate the fiscal year end processing.

SPECIAL ITEMS

• Budget Worksheet data from STARS will be electronically submitted to the Division of the Budget by August 8th for loading into the Budget Management System.
• The dates provided on this document that relate to fiscal year closing and opening activities will be revised, as necessary, by the Division of Accounts and Reports. Any revisions to payroll encumbrance or other processing dates will be issued as a SHARP message to subscribers of the SHARP list serve. After issuance, SHARP messages are also posted on the SHARP Customer Service Website at http://www.da.ks.gov/SHARP/documents/message.htm. Revisions to STARS processing dates will be posted on the STARS News screen and notice of revisions to SOKI3+ processing dates will be sent via email to all users.

SYSTEM AVAILABILITY

• Normal hours of availability of STARS is 7AM to 6PM Monday through Friday; 24 hours on holidays and Saturdays, unless a special STARS cycle is requested; Sundays from 1PM through Monday, unless otherwise noted on the STARS News screen.
• SHARP is available from 7AM to 6PM Monday through Friday and 1PM to 6PM Saturday and Sunday. The cutoff for receiving SHARP interface files is 5PM.
• SOKI3+ system is available 24 hours a day except for a maintenance period between 6PM and 7PM daily.

GENERAL ITEMS

• FY2008 documents receive a higher processing priority than FY2009 documents during the concurrent processing period.
• There is a two day period beginning July 21 during which daily transactions may not be processed.
• Transactions characterized as emergency payments requiring immediate attention during this time should be batched separately and sent to the attention of Randy Kennedy, Division of Accounts and Reports, Central Accounting Services Section, 900 SW Jackson, Room 351-S, Topeka, Kansas.
• State agencies should review the May monthly reports and process the necessary corrections through the SOKI3+ journal voucher system before June 30.
• Transaction year 2008 and 2009 documents must be batched separately.

STARS ITEMS

• During the concurrent processing period, STARS batch sheets for FY2008 transaction year should have a batch date of “06/30/08,” an effective date of “06/30/08” and BFY of 2008.
• During the concurrent processing period, STARS edits FY2009 transactions charged to “expenditure only” type accounts against fund level receipts (both FY2008 and FY2009). FY2008 transactions edit only against FY2008 receipts.
• The available cash in prior fiscal year “receipt and expenditure” type budget units will not be available to fund FY2009 expenditures until FY2008 is closed and balances carried forward.
• In order to check balances in STARS during concurrent processing, agencies need to remember to make the appropriate selection for “prior month” (PM).
• If your agency would like to receive reports for June business after July 1, you must ensure that a prior month (PM) report request record is entered into STARS.

SOKI3+ ITEMS

• During the concurrent processing period, both FY2008 and FY2009 documents may be processed in the SOKI3+ system; FY2009 interfund vouchers require a BFY of 2009 for both the receipt and expenditure transactions and FY2008 interfund vouchers process as normal. FY2009 JV documents must use a BFY of 2009 throughout. The operator must choose the appropriate BFY when initiating a JV or receipt voucher during concurrent processing.
• Beginning July 16th through year-end closing, agencies should not release any SOKI3+ transactions with a BFY of 2008. Only transactions with a BFY of 2009 will be processed during this period.
• On July 23rd, after year-end processing is complete, all fiscal year 2009 SOKI3+ transactions, including encumbered expenditures can be processed and released for upload to STARS.
• All SOKI3+ transactions not uploaded to STARS on July 15th in the final FY2008 upload will be FY2009 business; any SOKI3+ interfund receipt transactions will need to have BFY 2009 and any SOKI3+ unencumbered interfund expenditure transactions will require an encumbrance number and appropriate transaction code changes.
  
  The scheduled dates for closing FY2008 and beginning FY2009 are as follows:

        KEO:aw

DATE:	April 18, 2008
SUBJECT:	Change to Expenditure Sub-object Code 5585, Housing Assistance Payments
EFFECTIVE DATE:	Immediately
A & R CONTACT:	Martin Eckhardt	(785) 296-2661	(martin.eckhardt@da.ks.gov)
	Brett Bauer	(785) 296-4903	(brett.bauer@da.ks.gov)
	Gail Barnhart	(785) 296-3404	(gail.barnhart@da.ks.gov)
APPROVAL:
SUMMARY:	Change in expenditure sub-object code 5585 to allow setoff of debt

Effective immediately, a change is being made to allow for the setoff of debt to expenditure sub-object code 5585. The description is being revised as follows:

5585 Housing Assistance Payments – Debt Setoff, IRS Reportable

This change will be reflected in the Uniform Expenditure Classification of Expenditure Sub-object Codes filing (PPM No. 7,002) on the Division of Accounts and Reports web site http://www.da.ks.gov/ar/ppm/.

KEO:ME:gb

DATE:	June 12, 2008
SUBJECT:	Airline Fees
EFFECTIVE DATE:	Immediately
A & R CONTACT:	Randy Kennedy	(785) 296-2125	(randy.kennedy@da.ks.gov)
APPROVAL:
SUMMARY:	Agencies shall determine which airline fees are allowable

Some airlines are in the process of charging for services a la carte, which in some cases includes a charge for the first checked bag. K.A.R 1-16-20(b) states in part “Baggage. Charges for baggage in excess of the weight or of the size carried free by transportation companies shall be allowed if such excess baggage is used for official business… Specific justification must be submitted with the claim voucher.”

If the airline charges for the first bag, and if it previously would have been transported free, then Accounts and Reports will not expect a justification. Each agency is responsible for determining what constitutes excess personal baggage.

As the airline industry’s fee structure changes, it will be each agency’s responsibility to determine which additional air travel fees are considered business-related, and therefore paid or reimbursed by the agency, and also to provide justifications for these additional fees with the voucher if the fee is not already addressed in existing statute or regulation.