INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Indiana state officials spent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on travel in the first year under a new transparency law requiring detailed reporting of government trips.
The State Budget Agency released travel reports from 19 state officers and cabinet members, showing expenses totaling nearly $100,000. The new law, which went took effect in July, requires the governor's cabinet to provide a report to the budget committee stating the purpose and location of each trip taken in an official capacity whether in-state or out of state, the total travel expenses incurred, and the state fund used to pay for each trip taken.
Secretary of State Diego Morales tops Indiana leaders in the total amount spent on travel at $33,124. His out-of-state trips included trips to San Juan, Puerto Rico, Vancouver, BC, Canada, and three trips to Washington, D.C., including one for President Trump's Inauguration. The trip to Puerto Rico for the National Association of Secretary of States cost Hoosier taxpayers more than $4,200.
State Comptroller Elise Nieshalla had the second highest travel expenses. Her $11,000 report included two trips to Denver, Colorado, Charlotte, North Carolina, Orlando, Florida, Anchorage, Alaska, and Washington D.C. Nieshalla's most expensive trip was to the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers in Charlotte.
Indiana Treasurer of State Daniel Elliott racked up nearly $9,300 in travel expenses. More than $5,700 was used for gas. The most expensive of those charges was $620 in July 2025.
Governor Mike Braun recorded nearly $8,300 in documented travel. Nearly half of that total comes from a trip to Trine University in Angola. It was paid for by the ISP Aviation Rotary Fund, which also included a $720 charge for a trip to the Indianapolis 500. The Governor's Office logged 144 travel expenses in its report to the State Budget Committee.
Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner recorded more than $6,400 in travel expenses. Many of her expenses included national conferences in Salt Lake City, Aspen, Washington D.C., San Diego, Austin, and Boston. Her most expensive trip was a $1,376 trip to Austin, Texas to speak about STEM Jobs of Tomorrow at SXSW.
Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith recorded 110 trips primarily for speaking events. The report shows most of Beckwith's spending comes from gas expenses, which includes a $1,272 gas bill in May 2025. Beckwith's total expenditures were just shy of $4,300.
Attorney General Todd Rokita recorded 100 trips on the state's dime, which totaled up to $4,381. All of them listed the purpose of travel as "Official Business." Among the Attorney General's trips include five trips to the nation's capital, including a one-day trip in September 2024, which came with a $2,200 bill to taxpayers.
- Secretary of State Diego Morales: $33,124
- Comptroller Elise Nieshalla: $11,916.61
- Treasurer Daniel Elliott: $9,287.14
- Governor Mike Braun: $8,264.85
- Secretary of Education Kate Jenner: $6,442.50
- Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith: $4,285.10
- Attorney General Todd Rokita: $4,381.11
- Secretary Jennifer-Ruth Green: $3,476.00
- Secretary of Commerce David Adams: $2,985.50
- Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources Suzanne Jaworowski: $2,500.00
- Secretary of Business Affairs Mike Speedy: $2,250.00
- Secretary of Transportation & Infrastructure Matthew Ubelhor: $2,100.00
- Secretary Health and Family Services Glorida Sachdev: $1,950.00
- Chief of Staff Josh Kelley: $1,800.00
- Brigadier General Lawrence Muennich (Adjutant General): $1,500.00
- Brigadier General Dale Lyles (Adjutant General): $1,200.00
- Former ISP Superintendent Doug Carter: $900.00
- Current ISP Superintendent Anthony Scott: $600.00
- Secretary of Office of Management and Budget: Lisa Hershman: $0
You can also keep track of how much individual agencies spend on travel through the Indiana Transparency Portal. For example, the Department of Child Services made more than 21,000 travel expense transactions totaling $3,710,169.42. Its the most out of any state agency.
