BILL ANALYSIS
By: Wentworth
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
State employees are often required to travel as part of their jobs. They pay their expenses and then submit requests for reimbursement along with appropriate receipts. When reimbursement takes several months to process, it puts a strain on family budgets.
This bill requires state agencies to process travel reimbursement requests within 45 days of submission, if the expenses are not in dispute. This bill also requires state agencies to reimburse state employees for reimbursable travel expenses within 30 days of any resolution of a dispute between the agency and employee in regard to travel expenses.
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.
ANALYSIS
This bill amends the Government Code to require a state agency to reimburse a state employee for incurred travel expenses submitted in accordance with certain state policies, procedures, and rules, not later than the 45th day after a request is submitted. The bill also requires a state agency, if there is a bona fide dispute between the state agency and the state employee relating to the travel expenses, to reimburse the employee for reimbursable travel expenses incurred by the employee not later than the 30th day after the date the dispute is resolved.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.