BILL NUMBER: AB 229	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 22, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Chang
    (   Coauthor:   Assembly Member  
Olsen   ) 

                        FEBRUARY 4, 2015

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


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 229, as amended, 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 prohibit a state agency from prohibiting 
the use of, or denying reimbursement for, necessary and actual
expenses of  state employees traveling on official state
business  for   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 consistent with
that prohibition. The bill would define terms for those purposes.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated 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
 the use of, or deny reimbursement for, necessary and actual
expenses of  state employees traveling on official state
business  for   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 consistent with
this section.