S.B. No. 1122

AN ACT

relating to participation in the comptroller's contracts for travel services.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 2171.055, Government Code, is amended by amending Subsections (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j) and adding Subsection (k) to read as follows:

(e) A county officer or employee who is engaged in official county business may participate in the comptroller's contract for travel services for the purpose of obtaining reduced airline fares and reduced travel agent fees. A county sheriff or deputy sheriff or juvenile probation officer who is transporting a state prisoner under a felony warrant may participate in the comptroller's contract for travel services for purposes of obtaining reduced airline fares and reduced travel agent fees for the law enforcement or probation officer and the prisoner. [The comptroller may charge a participating county a fee not to exceed the costs incurred by the comptroller in providing services under this subsection. The comptroller shall periodically review fees and shall adjust them as needed to ensure recovery of costs incurred in providing services to counties under this subsection. The comptroller shall deposit the fees collected under this subsection to the credit of the county airline fares account. The county airline fares account is an account in the general revenue fund that may be appropriated only for the purposes of this chapter.] The comptroller shall adopt rules and make or amend contracts as necessary to administer this subsection.

(f) An officer or employee of a public junior college, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, of an open-enrollment charter school established under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, Education Code, or of a school district who is engaged in official business may participate in the comptroller's contract for travel services. [The comptroller may charge a participating public junior college, open-enrollment charter school, or school district a fee not to exceed the costs incurred by the comptroller in providing services under this subsection. The comptroller shall periodically review fees and shall adjust them as needed to ensure recovery of costs incurred in providing services to public junior colleges, open-enrollment charter schools, and school districts under this subsection. The comptroller shall deposit the fees collected under this subsection to the credit of the public education travel account. The public education travel account is an account in the general revenue fund that may be appropriated only for the purposes of this chapter.] The comptroller shall adopt rules and make or amend contracts as necessary to administer this subsection.

(g) A municipal officer or employee who is engaged in official municipal business may participate in the comptroller's contract for travel services for the purpose of obtaining reduced airline fares and reduced travel agent fees. [The comptroller may charge a participating municipality a fee not to exceed the costs incurred by the comptroller in providing services under this subsection. The comptroller shall periodically review fees and shall adjust them as needed to ensure recovery of costs incurred in providing services to municipalities under this subsection. The comptroller shall deposit the fees collected under this subsection to the credit of the municipality airline fares account. The municipality airline fares account is an account in the general revenue fund that may be appropriated only for the purposes of this chapter.] The comptroller shall adopt rules and make or amend contracts as necessary to administer this subsection.

(h) A board member or employee of a communication district or an emergency communication district established under Chapter 772, Health and Safety Code, who is engaged in official district business may participate in the comptroller's contract for travel services for the purpose of obtaining reduced airline fares and reduced travel agent fees. [The comptroller may charge a participating district a fee not to exceed the costs incurred by the comptroller in providing services under this subsection. The comptroller shall periodically review fees and shall adjust them as needed to ensure recovery of costs incurred in providing services to districts under this subsection. The comptroller shall deposit the fees collected under this subsection to the credit of the emergency communication district airline fares account. The emergency communication district airline fares account is an account in the general revenue fund that may be appropriated only for the purposes of this chapter.] The comptroller shall adopt rules and make or amend contracts as necessary to administer this subsection.

(i) An officer or employee of a transportation or transit authority, department, district, or system established under Subtitle K, Title 6, Transportation Code, who is engaged in official business of the authority, department, district, or system may participate in the comptroller's contracts for travel services. [The comptroller may charge a participating authority, department, district, or system a fee not to exceed the costs incurred by the comptroller in providing services under this subsection. The comptroller shall periodically review fees and shall adjust them as needed to ensure recovery of costs incurred in providing services to authorities, departments, districts, and systems under this subsection.]

(j) An officer or employee of a hospital district created under general or special law who is engaged in official hospital district business may participate in the comptroller's contract for travel services for the purpose of obtaining reduced airline fares and reduced travel agent fees. [The comptroller may charge a participating hospital district a fee not to exceed the costs incurred by the comptroller in providing services under this subsection. The comptroller shall periodically review fees and shall adjust them as needed to ensure recovery of costs incurred in providing services to hospital districts under this subsection. The comptroller shall deposit the fees collected under this subsection to the credit of the hospital district airline fares account. The hospital district airline fares account is an account in the general revenue fund that may be appropriated only for the purposes of this chapter.] The comptroller shall adopt rules and make or amend contracts as necessary to administer this subsection.

(k) An officer or employee of a qualified cooperative entity who is engaged in official business of the qualified cooperative entity may participate in the comptroller's contracts for travel services. The comptroller shall adopt rules and make or amend contracts as necessary to administer this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, a "qualified cooperative entity" includes:

(1) a local government, as defined by Section 271.081, Local Government Code;

(2) a community center for mental health and mental retardation services described by Section 2155.202(1);

(3) an assistance organization, as defined by Section 2175.001, that receives any state funds; and

(4) a political subdivision, as defined by Section 791.003.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1122 passed the Senate on April 19, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1122 passed the House on May 14, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 127, Nays 0, one present not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

______________________________

Governor