2025 Session Last amended: 2015 session

§ 10.43 — Telephone Use; Approval

Plain-Language Summary

State legislators, constitutional officers, judges, and heads of state agencies must sign their monthly state-paid long-distance phone bills to approve them, unless the bill is less than $5. Officials are personally responsible for repaying any portion of phone bills that were not for state business. All state-paid long-distance phone bills are public information regardless of the amount.

Practical Notes
State officials who use state phone systems for personal long-distance calls are required to identify and pay for those calls themselves. The signature requirement creates a personal accountability record for phone expenditures. Citizens can request to see state officials’ phone bills as public data, which helps prevent misuse of public resources.