Travel expenses: Reimbursement; per diem allowance

1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, if a county or township officer or an employee of the county is entitled to receive reimbursement for his or her necessary traveling expenses for the transaction of public business, such reimbursement must include actual living expenses, but the amount allowed for traveling by private conveyance must not exceed the amount charged by public conveyance. Where it appears to the satisfaction of the board of county commissioners that travel by private conveyance is more economical, or where it appears that, owing to train, airplane or bus schedules or for other reasons, travel by public conveyance is impractical, or in case a part of the route traveled is not covered by public conveyance, the board of county commissioners, in its discretion, may allow for traveling by private conveyance an amount not to exceed the maximum per-mile allowance for travel by private conveyance established by the State Board of Examiners for state officers and employees generally. 2. The board of county commissioners of a county may provide, to any county or township officer or employee of the county who is required to travel for the transaction of public business for a period of not more than 5 consecutive working days at a time, a per diem allowance and travel expenses at the same rate as the comparable rate established for employees of the Federal Government by the Administrator of General Services pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 5707, excluding any federal requirement, restriction or other condition which is applicable to that comparable rate.