The bill amends the Government Code to allow state agencies to reimburse state employees for groceries consumed while traveling on official state business. Specifically, it introduces a new section, 660.1135, which defines "groceries" and outlines the conditions under which reimbursement is permitted. Employees can be reimbursed for grocery purchases made the day before or the day of their travel, provided they consume the groceries while away from their designated headquarters. The reimbursement is limited to the prorated portion of groceries consumed each day during travel and is considered a meal expense for the purposes of 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 at their designated headquarters, except under certain conditions related to training or conferences. This legislation is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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