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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to mileage reimbursement for state employees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 660.043(a), (b), and (c), Government |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The number of miles traveled that are eligible for |
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reimbursement under this subchapter may not exceed the number of |
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miles of the most cost-effective reasonably safe route between the |
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origin of the state employee's travel and the final duty point of |
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the state employee. If a state employee conducts official state |
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business at duty points between the origin of the state employee's |
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travel and the final duty point, the most cost-effective reasonably |
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safe route between the origin and the final duty point shall include |
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the intermediate duty points. |
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(b) In determining the most cost-effective reasonably safe |
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route for purposes [For the purpose] of Subsection (a), a state |
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agency may consider: |
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(1) the route that provides the shortest distance |
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[route] between the origin of the state employee's travel and the |
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final duty point; |
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(2) the route that provides the quickest drive time |
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between the origin of the state employee's travel and the final duty |
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point; and |
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(3) the route that provides the safest road conditions |
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between the origin of the state employee's travel and the final duty |
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point [two points is presumed to be the most cost-effective route.
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A longer route may be considered the most cost-effective route only
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if:
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[(1)
the voucher states that the longer route is more
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cost effective;
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[(2)
the voucher provides a reasonable justification
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for that statement; and
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[(3)
the statement and justification are made by the
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chief administrator of the state agency making the reimbursement or
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by the chief administrator's designee]. |
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(c) The number of miles traveled that are eligible for |
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reimbursement under this subchapter may be determined by an |
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employee's vehicle odometer reading or by a readily available |
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electronic mapping service [comptroller shall periodically issue
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and update a mileage guide that includes a chart showing the number
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of miles for the shortest route between points. The guide also may
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include a chart showing the number of miles for longer routes
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between points. Farm-to-market and ranch-to-market roads shall be
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considered when determining the routings between points in this
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state. The guide may be electronic or printed, or both]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 660.202(c), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) A member of the legislature is entitled to be reimbursed |
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for the member's use of personally owned or leased motor vehicles |
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and the use of rented or public conveyances at the same rate as is |
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provided in the General Appropriations Act for state employees, |
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except that the member may only receive mileage reimbursement for |
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the most cost-effective route between the origin of the member's |
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travel and the final duty point. |
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SECTION 3. Section 660.043(d), Government Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 4. Section 660.043, Government Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies only to the determination of reimbursable mileage |
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for state employee travel occurring on or after January 1, 2010. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |