AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

District court reporters of a district composed of more than one county are reimbursed at a rate capped at $.25 per mile for travel expenses when their duties require them to travel to a county outside their county of residence—less than half the federal reimbursement rate for business travel. This bill amends the Government Code to eliminate the current cap and authorize the commissioners court of a county to set a reasonable mileage rate at which district court reporters may be reimbursed.

 

H.B. 1306 amends current law relating to the reimbursement of expenses incurred by court reporters in judicial districts composed of more than one county.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 52.055(b), Government Code, to prohibit travel expenses reimbursed under this section from exceeding the reasonable mileage rate set by the commissioners court of the respective county of the judicial district for which the expenses were incurred for the use of private conveyances, traveling the shortest practical route, rather than prohibits travel expenses reimbursed under this section from exceeding 25 cents per mile for the use of private conveyances, traveling the shortest practical route.

 

SECTION 2. Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies to expenses incurred by a court reporter on or after the effective date of this Act. Makes application of this Act prospective.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2015.