BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 229
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Date of Hearing: May 13, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
229 (Chang) - As Amended April 22, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill prevents state agencies from prohibiting state
employees traveling on official state business from using
transportation network companies or lodging in a short-term
rental.
AB 229
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FISCAL EFFECT:
Unknown, but likely minor, state costs. State agencies are not
currently prohibited from reimbursing these travel activities.
COMMENTS:
Purpose. According to the author, this bill seeks to ensure
state employees can use "sharing economy" services like
ride-sharing or home-sharing while traveling on state business.
This bill would prevent agencies from prohibiting the
reimbursement to traveling state employees for the use of
transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft, in which
participating drivers transport passengers in their own
vehicles. Additionally, this bill would not allow agencies to
ban the use of short-term rental arrangements like Airbnb, which
allow participants to rent out their homes or rooms in their
homes for a specified number of nights.
Background. CalHR rules, as well as relevant memorandums of
understanding (MOUs) with employee bargaining units, are silent
on the use of transportation network companies or short-term
rentals for employees traveling on state business. Rules and
MOUs specify that to qualify for reimbursements, lodging must be
in commercial lodging establishments. This bill specifies that
short-term rentals are considered commercial lodging
establishments for purposes of this bill. CalHR rules and MOUs
do not specifically mention transportation networks companies.
Instead, they set requirements for taxi and similar
transportation. This bill defines a transportation network
company for purposes of reimbursement under this bill.
AB 229
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According to the author, "sharing economy" technology platforms
are growing in popularity and can provide economical options for
ground travel and lodging. This bill seeks to update the state's
policies to conform to the marketplace.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916)
319-2081