| 1 | 1 | | 88R4261 LRM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Gervin-Hawkins, Morrison, Martinez, H.B. No. 855 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Bailes |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to the reimbursement of state employees for groceries |
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| 9 | 9 | | consumed while traveling on official state business. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 660.113(c), Government Code, is amended |
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| 12 | 12 | | to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (c) Except as provided by Section 660.1135, a [A] state |
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| 14 | 14 | | agency may not reimburse a state employee for a meal expense |
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| 15 | 15 | | incurred within the employee's designated headquarters unless the |
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| 16 | 16 | | expense is: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) mandatory; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) connected with training, a seminar, or a |
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| 19 | 19 | | conference. |
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| 20 | 20 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 660, Government Code, is |
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| 21 | 21 | | amended by adding Section 660.1135 to read as follows: |
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| 22 | 22 | | Sec. 660.1135. REIMBURSEMENT FOR GROCERIES PURCHASED |
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| 23 | 23 | | WITHIN EMPLOYEE'S DESIGNATED HEADQUARTERS. (a) In this section, |
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| 24 | 24 | | "groceries" means food items sold at a grocery store, supermarket, |
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| 25 | 25 | | or other similar retail establishment. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (b) A state agency may reimburse a state employee as |
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| 27 | 27 | | provided by Subsections (c) and (d) for groceries purchased within |
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| 28 | 28 | | the employee's designated headquarters if: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) the purchase is made the day before or the day the |
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| 30 | 30 | | employee travels to conduct official state business; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (2) the groceries are consumed by the employee while |
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| 32 | 32 | | the employee is away from the employee's designated headquarters |
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| 33 | 33 | | traveling for official state business. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (c) A state agency may only reimburse a state employee under |
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| 35 | 35 | | this section for the prorated portion of groceries consumed each |
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| 36 | 36 | | day by the state employee while traveling for official state |
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| 37 | 37 | | business. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (d) A purchase made under this section is considered a meal |
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| 39 | 39 | | expense for purposes of determining the limit established by the |
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| 40 | 40 | | travel provisions of the General Appropriations Act for meal |
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| 41 | 41 | | expenses under Section 660.112. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (e) A state agency must develop a policy for authorizing |
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| 43 | 43 | | reimbursements under this section before the agency may reimburse a |
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| 44 | 44 | | state employee under this section. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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