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OPA urges proper use of govt cars
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Posted on Feb 18 2009
The Office of the Public Auditor issued a reminder yesterday to government employees about the proper use of government-owned vehicles, particularly the use of unmarked vehicles.
According to the Government Vehicle Act of 1994, 1 CMC § 7406:
– Only government employees may operate a government vehicle. This does not apply to official guests and visitors to the Commonwealth.
– Government vehicles are only to be used for official government business. This does not apply to elected officials.
– Only elected officials, judges, and law enforcement officials, with proper authorization, may operate an unmarked government vehicle.
– Government vehicles may not be tinted, except for law enforcement vehicles.
“In summary, a properly marked vehicle may be operated by government employees and authorized official guests to the Commonwealth. An unmarked government vehicle, however, may only be operated by elected officials, judges, and law enforcement officials, with proper authorization,” the OPA statement said.
Also, only elected officials may operate a government vehicle for purposes other than official government business, OPA said.
“If an elected official wishes to extend the use of his/her government vehicle to government employees on official business, the government vehicle must be marked. Otherwise, the law provides that only other elected officials, judges, and authorized law enforcement officials may operate an unmarked vehicle,” it added.
If an employee operates a government vehicle outside normal working hours, OPA said the employee must have authorization from the expenditure authority certifying that the use of the vehicle outside normal working hours is for official government business and stating the reason that the vehicle may be used. [B][I](OPA)[/I][/B]
