HB 398 — PUBLIC OFFLS/EMPS: Prohibits payment for meals and incidental expenses for state public officials and employees from exceeding amounts for such expenses established by the U.S. General Services Administration

HLSENROLLED 26RS-711 REENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.

398 BY REPRESENTATIVE ZERINGUE PUBLICAN OFFLS/EMPS:ACT To amend and reenact R.S.

Prohibits payment for meals and incidental expenses for state public officials and employees from exceeding amounts for such expenses established by the U.S.

General Services Administration AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.

39:231(E), relative to travelbystategovernmentofficersandtravelbystategovernment officersand employees;

Maximum payment for meals or incidental expenses for certain agencies and entities in the judicial branch Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no court authorized by Article V of the Constitution of Louisiana or any state entity in the judicialjudicialbranchshallreimburse branchmoreformealsorincidentalexpensesforanyofficer shall pay more for meals or incidental expenses for any officer or employee than the ratesmaximum dailyrates established bybythe the United States General Services Administration for such expenses.

Nothing in this Section 2.shall prohibit reliance upon provisions for agency hosted conferences or meals during working meetings that are equivalent to those that apply to executive branch employees pursuant to R.S.

39:231.

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HB NO.

398 ENROLLED Section 2.

Maximum payment for meals or incidental expenses for the legislative branch Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no agency or entityentityinthelegislativebranchshallreimburse inmoreformealsorincidentalexpenses the legislative branch shall pay more for mealsanyofficer or incidental expenses for any officer or employee than the ratesmaximum dailyrates established bybythe the United States General Services Administration for such expenses.

PageNothing 1in ofthis 5Section CODING:shall prohibit reliance upon provisions for agency hosted conferences or meals during working meetings that are equivalent to those that apply to executive branch employees pursuant to R.S.

Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored39:231. are additions.

HLSSection 26RS-7113. REENGROSSED HB NO.

398 Section 3.

Except as otherwise provided in Subsection B, Subsection C, and Subsection Dthis Section,thecommissionerofadministration,Section,thecommissionerofadministration,withtheapprovalof with theapprovalof the governor,governor,shall, shall, byrule or regulation, prescribetheprescribe the conditions under which each ofvariousformsoftransportationmaybeusedbystateofficersandemployeesinthe discharge of the duties of their respective offices and positions in the state service and the conditions under which allowances will be granted for traveling expenses.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no agency or entityinentity in the executive branch shall paymorereimburse more for meals or incidental expensesexpensesforanystateofficeroremployeethanthemaximumdailyratesestablished forby anystatethe officeror employee thanthe rates established bythe United States General Services Administration for such expenses, unless authorizedPage in2 writingof by4 theCODING: commissionerofadministrationwhenactinginaccordancewithanissuedpolicyand procedure memorandum.

* * * E.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, during a state of disaster or emergency declared by the governor pursuant to R.S.

29:724, the maximum allowable reimbursement for meals and incidental expenses for state public officials and employees who are performing duties directly related to the declared emergency or disaster may exceed the amounts established by the United States GeneralServicesAdministrationbynotmorethanseventy-fivepercentofthe Page 2 of 5 CODING:

HLS 26RS-711 REENGROSSED HB NO.

398 applicablerateestablishedbytheUnitedStatesGeneralServicesAdministrationforENROLLED authorized in writing by the localitycommissioner of administration when acting in whichaccordance thewith expensesan areissued incurred.policyand procedure memorandum.

* * * E.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, during a state of disaster or emergency declared by the governor pursuant to R.S.

29:724, the maximum allowable reimbursement for meals and incidental expenses for state public officials and employees who are performing duties directly related to the declared emergency or disaster may exceed the amounts established by the United States GeneralServicesAdministrationbynotmorethanseventy-fivepercentofthe applicablerateestablishedbytheUnitedStates GeneralServicesAdministrationfor the locality in which the expenses are incurred.

(b) During the period beginning on the date of the governor's declaration of a state of disaster or emergency and ending on the date of the termination of the declared state of disaster or emergency, or thirty days after the date of the declaration,whicheveroccursdeclaration, whichever occurs first.

If the governor renewsrenewsthe thedeclaration declarationpursuantpursuant to R.S.

(3) Eachbudgetunitclaimingreimbursementattheincreasedrateauthorized by this Subsection shall maintain documentation sufficient to demonstrate that the expenseswereincurredinexpenseswereincurredindirectconnectionwith directconnectionwiththedeclaredemergencyordisasterthedeclaredemergencyordisaster and shall submit such documentation to the commissioner of administration within sixty days after the termination of the declared state of disaster or emergency.

ReimbursementsforsuchexpensesincurredpriortoJuly 1,Page 2026,3 butof submitted4 afterthatdateshallCODING: beattheratein effectfor the payingorganization at the time the expense was incurred.

Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.

HB NO.

398 ENROLLED 1, 2026, but submitted afterthat date shall be at therateineffectforthepayingorganization at the time the expense was incurred.

PageSPEAKER 3OF ofTHE 5HOUSE CODING:OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED:

Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscoredPage are4 additions.of 4 CODING:

HLS 26RS-711 REENGROSSED HB NO.

398 DIGEST ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislative Services.

It constitutes nopart of the legislative instrument.

The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.

[R.S.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 398 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Zeringue Abstract: