House Bill No. 472 proposes amendments to the Government Code regarding the reimbursement of state employees for groceries consumed while traveling on official state business. The bill introduces a new section, 660.1135, which allows state agencies to reimburse employees for groceries purchased within their designated headquarters, provided that the purchase occurs the day before or the day of travel for official business, and the groceries are consumed while away from the headquarters. The reimbursement is limited to the prorated portion of groceries consumed each day during travel and is classified as a meal expense under the General Appropriations Act.

Additionally, the bill specifies that state agencies must develop a policy for authorizing these reimbursements before they can be issued. The existing law is amended to clarify that state agencies cannot reimburse employees for meal expenses incurred within their designated headquarters unless certain conditions are met, specifically related to mandatory training, seminars, or conferences. This legislation is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 660.113 (Government Code 660)