California Assembly Bill AB229 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 229AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 7, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 22, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Chang (  Coauthor:   Assembly Member   Olsen   Coauthors:   Assembly Members   Brough,   Kim,   Low,   and Olsen  ) FEBRUARY 4, 2015 An act to add Section 19822.4 to the Government Code, relating to public employment. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 229, as amended, Chang. State employees: travel reimbursement. Under existing law and bargaining agreements, the state reimburses employees for all necessary and actual expenses they incur when they travel on official state business. This bill would prohibit a state agency from prohibiting state employees traveling on official state business from using transportation provided by a transportation network company or lodging in a short-term rental, as defined. The bill would require a state agency to reimburse the actual and necessary expenses of a state employee using a transportation network company or a short-term rental consistent with the agency's standard reimbursement policies. The bill would request and encourage the University of California to adopt travel reimbursement policies  consistent   in accordance  with that prohibition. The bill would define terms for those purposes. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 19822.4 is added to the Government Code, to read: 19822.4. (a) As used in this section: (1) "Short-term rental" means a residential property that is rented to a visitor for fewer than 30 days through a centralized online platform whereby the rental is advertised and payments for the rental are securely processed. For purposes of travel reimbursement, a short-term rental shall be considered a commercial lodging establishment. (2) "Transportation network company" has the same meaning as defined in Section 5431 of the Public Utilities Code. (b) (1) A state agency shall not prohibit state employees traveling on official state business from using transportation provided by a transportation network company or lodging in a short-term rental. (2) Reimbursement shall be provided for necessary and actual expenses, consistent with the agency's policies for reimbursement of other lodging establishments or other vehicles for hire. (c) The Legislature requests and encourages the University of California to adopt travel reimbursement policies  consistent   in accordance  with this section.