PAK H.B. 1208 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS STATE AFFAIRS H.B. 1208 By: Maxey 3-26-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The Comptroller of Public Accounts Texas Performance Review, in the December 1996 report, "Disturbing the Peace," recommended that the Legislature authorize the comptroller to develop an electronic travel voucher system for reimbursement to state employees for state travel. Currently, the comptroller's office processes roughly 400,000 travel reimbursement claims per year. The present reimbursement system requires state employees to complete paper vouchers with all appropriate documentation and receipts, send those documents to a supervisor for approval, and forward the materials to the comptroller for reimbursement. This system requires numerous authorization signatures and therefore can not be transmitted electronically to the comptroller. This system has caused long delays in reimbursements to some state employees for travel expenses, especially in field offices. PURPOSE As proposed, this bill would authorize the comptroller to require travel vouchers be submitted electronically. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. amends Section 660.041, Government Code to allow the comptroller to require travel expense forms to be submitted electronically to the comptroller without receipts or other records. The provision allows the comptroller to require that receipts or other records be retained by the agency for auditing purposes. SECTION 2. Emergency clause.