Meal and Lodging Exceptions
Exceptions for Travel With Legislators or Certain Officials

A legislator, a judicial officer, a chief administrator of a state agency, a board member, the executive director of the Texas Legislative Council or the secretary of the Senate may authorize one or more state employees traveling with the authorizing party to a particular meeting or conference to receive reimbursement of their actual expenses for meals and lodging while attending the meeting or conference, per Texas Government Code, Section 660.206(b). If the expenses are incurred within the contiguous United States, the reimbursement is limited to twice the amount that could be reimbursed for regular state employee travel. The designated employees are not required to work for the same state agency as the authorizing party.

A reimbursement for actual expenses may be paid even if the itineraries for the authorizing party and the employee receiving the reimbursement are not identical. For example, it is not necessary for both individuals to fly to the duty point on the same flight.