Bill Text: TX HB855 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to the reimbursement of state employees for groceries consumed while traveling on official state business.
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-05 - Referred to Business & Commerce [HB855 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB855-Engrossed.html
| 88R4261 LRM-D | ||
| By: Gervin-Hawkins, Morrison, Martinez, | H.B. No. 855 | |
| Bailes | ||
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| relating to the reimbursement of state employees for groceries | ||
| consumed while traveling on official state business. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 660.113(c), Government Code, is amended | ||
| to read as follows: | ||
| (c) Except as provided by Section 660.1135, a [ |
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| agency may not reimburse a state employee for a meal expense | ||
| incurred within the employee's designated headquarters unless the | ||
| expense is: | ||
| (1) mandatory; and | ||
| (2) connected with training, a seminar, or a | ||
| conference. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 660, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 660.1135 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 660.1135. REIMBURSEMENT FOR GROCERIES PURCHASED | ||
| WITHIN EMPLOYEE'S DESIGNATED HEADQUARTERS. (a) In this section, | ||
| "groceries" means food items sold at a grocery store, supermarket, | ||
| or other similar retail establishment. | ||
| (b) A state agency may reimburse a state employee as | ||
| provided by Subsections (c) and (d) for groceries purchased within | ||
| the employee's designated headquarters if: | ||
| (1) the purchase is made the day before or the day the | ||
| employee travels to conduct official state business; and | ||
| (2) the groceries are consumed by the employee while | ||
| the employee is away from the employee's designated headquarters | ||
| traveling for official state business. | ||
| (c) A state agency may only reimburse a state employee under | ||
| this section for the prorated portion of groceries consumed each | ||
| day by the state employee while traveling for official state | ||
| business. | ||
| (d) A purchase made under this section is considered a meal | ||
| expense for purposes of determining the limit established by the | ||
| travel provisions of the General Appropriations Act for meal | ||
| expenses under Section 660.112. | ||
| (e) A state agency must develop a policy for authorizing | ||
| reimbursements under this section before the agency may reimburse a | ||
| state employee under this section. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
