Monday, September 9, 2024 Indiana’s state agencies collectively spent $5 million on travel during the 2024 fiscal year , marking a slight increase from the previous year’s expenditures of $4.9 million. This information was made available by the Indiana Transparency Portal , which tracks state financial data.
The primary spending categories included lodging and airfare , with the Holiday Inn emerging as the favored hotel chain among state employees. Travel costs have fluctuated over the last five years. In 2020, the state spent $4.
4 million on travel, but that number dropped dramatically to $913,000 in 2021 due to the pandemic. Since then, expenses have rebounded, reaching $2.5 million in 2022 and nearly $5 million in 2023.
The top five departments leading these expenditures were the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) , Department of Child Services (DCS) , Department of Revenue , Lieutenant Governor’s Office , and Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) . While most of the travel expenses were verified, some discrepancies arose in the reported figures, particularly in the Lieutenant Governor’s Office . The inaccuracies stemmed from international travel expenses that were not correctly converted from foreign currency.
The Indiana Transparency Portal initially reported higher expenses due to these errors, but corrections were made following an internal review. The portal displayed $325,243 in travel expenses, but the actual figure, after adjustments, was $129,435 . A significant portion of the state’s travel expenditures was funded by federal grants .
For example, the IDOH used federal dollars for a majority of its travel costs, particularly those tied to healthcare inspections. Similarly, the IDOC’s out-of-state travel, such as staff training and extradition-related expenses, was primarily funded by federal grants. This division between state and federal funding highlights the reliance on federal programs to support the extensive travel requirements of some agencies.
Indiana’s state agencies continue to rely heavily on travel to carry out their essential functions. The $5 million spent on travel during FY 2024 represents a slight increase from the previous year, reflecting the state’s return to normal operations post-pandemic. Despite minor discrepancies, the data from the Indiana Transparency Portal provides a comprehensive look at how state funds are allocated for travel, with the majority of expenditures supporting vital services such as healthcare inspections, child welfare, and corrections.
As Indiana continues to modernize its operations, transparency in travel spending and more accurate reporting will remain key to ensuring that state funds are used efficiently..
