By:  Barrientos                                       S.B. No. 1729

         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation

 1-2     to reimburse certain employees for relocation expenses.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 201, Transportation Code,

 1-5     is amended by adding Section 201.406 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 201.406.  RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.  (a)  In addition to

 1-7     authority granted by other provisions of law, the department may,

 1-8     upon approval of the director, reimburse transferred employees for

 1-9     expenses or costs related to selling existing housing and

1-10     purchasing and financing comparable replacement housing; provided

1-11     the director finds that the transfer will enhance the department's

1-12     ability to accomplish its goals and missions.

1-13           (b)  For purposes of this section, the following expenses or

1-14     costs related to the selling of existing housing and the leasing,

1-15     purchasing, and financing of comparable replacement housing are

1-16     deemed reimbursable:

1-17                 (1)  any commissions and fees due to a broker or real

1-18     estate agent;

1-19                 (2)  costs incurred as a purchaser to obtain a home

1-20     loan, including, but not limited to, loan application fees, credit

1-21     report fees, and mortgage points;

 2-1                 (3)  origination fees, title insurance, recording fees,

 2-2     and all other closing costs required to be paid by the employee;

 2-3                 (4)  fees or charges, other than refundable deposits,

 2-4     necessary to establish telephone, gas, and electric service; and

 2-5                 (5)  travel expenses incurred while looking for a new

 2-6     residence, reimbursed at the standard mileage rate, for travel to

 2-7     and from the new designated headquarters.

 2-8           (c)  Under this section, the department may not:

 2-9                 (1)  provide reimbursement for more than 25 employees

2-10     per fiscal year;

2-11                 (2)  pay a sum of more than $15,000 to any employee;

2-12                 (3)  purchase or pay any part of the purchase price of

2-13     any employee's home;

2-14                 (4)  provide such reimbursement for the purchase or

2-15     financing of a house if the employee did not own and occupy

2-16     existing housing at the time of transfer; or

2-17                 (5)  provide reimbursement when the distance between

2-18     the two designated headquarters of a transferred employee is less

2-19     than 25 miles.

2-20           (d)  The department may pay the reasonable, necessary, and

2-21     resulting costs of moving the household goods and effects of a

2-22     transferred employee so long as:

2-23                 (1)  the director determines that the transfer will

2-24     enhance the department's ability to accomplish its goals and

2-25     missions; and

 3-1                 (2)  the distance between the two designated

 3-2     headquarters of a transferred employee is at least 25 miles.

 3-3           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

 3-4     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 3-5     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-6     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-7     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.