78R1040 ESH-D
By: Hamilton H.B. No. 898
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the use of state travel services by public junior
colleges and school districts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 2171.055, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
(f) An officer or employee of a public junior college, as
defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, or of a school district
who is engaged in official business may participate in the
commission's contract for travel services for the purpose of
obtaining reduced airline fares and reduced travel agent fees. The
commission may charge a participating public junior college or
school district a fee not to exceed the costs incurred by the
commission in providing services under this subsection. The
commission shall periodically review fees and shall adjust them as
needed to ensure recovery of costs incurred in providing services
to public junior colleges and school districts under this
subsection. The commission shall deposit the fees collected under
this subsection to the credit of the school district airline fares
account. The school district airline fares account is an account in
the general revenue fund that may be appropriated only for the
purposes of this chapter. The commission shall adopt rules and make
or amend contracts as necessary to administer this subsection.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 44, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 44.044 to read as follows:
Sec. 44.044. LIMIT ON EXPENDITURES FOR TRAVEL SERVICES. A
school district may not reimburse a district officer or employee
for expenditures for travel services in excess of the applicable
contract rate negotiated by the Texas Building and Procurement
Commission under Chapter 2171, Government Code.
SECTION 3. Section 44.044, Education Code, as added by this
Act, applies only to reimbursement of an officer or employee of a
school district or junior college district for an expenditure for
travel services made after August 31, 2003. Reimbursement of an
officer or employee of a school district or junior college district
for an expenditure for travel services made before September 1,
2003, is governed by the law in effect at the time the expenditure
was made, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.