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AB-229 State employees: travel reimbursement.(2015-2016)

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Assembly Bill No. 229
CHAPTER 770

An act to add and repeal Section 19822.4 of the Government Code, relating to public employment.

[ Approved by Governor  October 11, 2015. Filed with Secretary of State  October 11, 2015. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 229, Chang. State employees: travel reimbursement.
Under existing law and bargaining agreements, the state reimburses employees for all necessary and actual expenses they incur when they travel on official state business.
This bill would, until January 1, 2019, prohibit a state agency from prohibiting state employees traveling on official state business from using transportation provided by a transportation network company or lodging in a short-term rental, as defined. The bill would require a state agency to reimburse the actual and necessary expenses of a state employee using a transportation network company or a short-term rental consistent with the agency’s standard reimbursement policies. The bill would request and encourage the University of California to adopt travel reimbursement policies in accordance with that prohibition. The bill would define terms for those purposes.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 19822.4 is added to the Government Code, to read:

19822.4.
 (a) As used in this section:
(1) “Short-term rental” means a residential property that is rented to a visitor for fewer than 30 days through a centralized online platform whereby the rental is advertised and payments for the rental are securely processed. For purposes of travel reimbursement, a short-term rental shall be considered a commercial lodging establishment.
(2) “Transportation network company” has the same meaning as defined in Section 5431 of the Public Utilities Code.
(b) (1) A state agency shall not prohibit state employees traveling on official state business from using transportation provided by a transportation network company or lodging in a short-term rental.
(2) Reimbursement shall be provided for necessary and actual expenses, consistent with the agency’s policies for reimbursement of other lodging establishments or other vehicles for hire.
(c) The Legislature requests and encourages the University of California to adopt travel reimbursement policies in accordance with this section.
(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2019, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends that date.