All salaries, compensation and other expenses involved in the operation of the office of the director shall not exceed the amount from time to time appropriated or otherwise made available therefor by the legislature, including travel expense incurred by the director, his deputies and assistants within or outside this state in connection with official duties, dues assessed by the national association of insurance commissioners and travel expense incurred by the director and any one or more deputies or assistants designated by him in attendance upon meetings or committee meetings of such association.