BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1306

By: Hughes

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties have noted that district court reporters of a district composed of more than one county are reimbursed at a certain rate for travel expenses when their duties require them to travel to a county outside their county of residence, but, in noting the rate cap set in statute, those parties point out that the current federal reimbursement rate for business travel is more than double the maximum state reimbursement rate for district court reporters traveling on official business. H.B. 1306 seeks to address this issue. 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

H.B. 1306 amends the Government Code to replace the 25 cents per mile cap on reimbursement for certain travel expenses incurred by an official or deputy district court reporter in a judicial district composed of more than one county with a reasonable mileage rate set by the commissioners court of the respective county of the judicial district for which the expenses were incurred.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.