Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 495 amends the Travel Regulations Act to codify numerous provisions, currently found in General Appropriations Act riders, relating to state officer and state employee travel. The act clarifies that travel reimbursement is covered by the two acts, other specific laws, and rules of the comptroller. New substantive provisions extend coverage of the two acts to the Employees Retirement System of Texas and the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and allow actual expense reimbursement for members of the State Board of Education and Railroad Commission of Texas. The act authorizes the comptroller to require electronic filing of vouchers and provides for transportation and lodging receipt submissions in a manner prescribed by the comptroller. Other new provisions authorize travel expense payment in various special circumstances, including the payment of airline cancellation charges due to illness or personal emergency in the case of a nonrefundable ticket purchased in advance to achieve a lower fare. The act authorizes actual travel expense reimbursement to the governor's spouse when representing the governor on official business and expense payment for the attendant care of a disabled person. It allows preapproval of international travel by the chief administrator of an agency and eliminates preapproval by the governor. Such approval may be delegated within the agency.