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

HLS 26RS-711 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 398
BY REPRESENTATIVE ZERINGUE
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
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 39:231(A) and (C) and to enact R.S. 13:6, R.S. 24:16, and R.S.
3 39:231(E), relative to travel by state government officers and employees; to provide
4 a maximum for payments by the state for meals and incidental expenses; to provide
5 for applicability; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 13:6 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §6. Maximum payment for meals or incidental expenses for certain agencies and
9 entities in the judicial branch
10 Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no court
11 authorized by Article V of the Constitution of Louisiana or any state entity in the
12 judicial branch shall pay more for meals or incidental expenses for any officer or
13 employee than the rates established by the United States General Services
14 Administration for such expenses.
15 Section 2. R.S. 24:16 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
16 §16. Maximum payment for meals or incidental expenses for the legislative branch
17 Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no agency or
18 entity in the legislative branch shall pay more for meals or incidental expenses for
19 any officer or employee than the rates established by the United States General
20 Services Administration for such expenses.
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1 Section 3. R.S. 39:231(A) and (C) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
2 39:231(E) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
3 §231. Commissioner to prescribe rules governing travel and traveling expenses; use
4 of state aircraft and other vehicles by statewide elected officials; minimum
5 and maximum prices allowed for meals to state employees
6 A. Except as otherwise provided in Subsection B, Subsection C, and
7 Subsection D this Section, the commissioner of administration, with the approval of
8 the governor, shall, by rule or regulation, prescribe the conditions under which each
9 of various forms of transportation may be used by state officers and employees in the
10 discharge of the duties of their respective offices and positions in the state service
11 and the conditions under which allowances will be granted for traveling expenses.
12 * * *
13 C.(1) The commissioner of administration shall not establish meal
14 allowances for state employees at a price below two dollars and seventy-five cents
15 for breakfast, three dollars and twenty-five cents for lunch, and five dollars for
16 dinner.
17 (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no agency
18 or entity in the executive branch shall pay more for meals or incidental expenses for
19 any state officer or employee than the rates established by the United States General
20 Services Administration for such expenses, unless authorized in writing by the
21 commissioner of administration when acting in accordance with an issued policy and
22 procedure memorandum.
23 * * *
24 E.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, during
25 a state of disaster or emergency declared by the governor pursuant to R.S. 29:724,
26 the maximum allowable reimbursement for meals and incidental expenses for state
27 public officials and employees who are performing duties directly related to the
28 declared emergency or disaster may exceed the amounts established by the United
29 States General Services Administration by not more than seventy-five percent of the
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HB NO. 398
1 applicable rate established by the United States General Services Administration for
2 the locality in which the expenses are incurred.
3 (2) The increased reimbursement rate authorized by Paragraph (1) of this
4 Subsection shall apply only to expenses incurred:
5 (a) Within the designated emergency area as identified in the governor's
6 executive order or proclamation, or in any area to which state personnel are deployed
7 in direct response to the declared emergency or disaster.
8 (b) During the period beginning on the date of the governor's declaration of
9 a state of disaster or emergency and ending on the date of the termination of the
10 declared state of disaster or emergency, or thirty days after the date of the
11 declaration, whichever occurs first. If the governor renews the declaration pursuant
12 to R.S. 29:724(B)(1), the increased reimbursement rate shall continue for the
13 duration of the renewed declaration.
14 (3) Each budget unit claiming reimbursement at the increased rate authorized
15 by this Subsection shall maintain documentation sufficient to demonstrate that the
16 expenses were incurred in direct connection with the declared emergency or disaster
17 and shall submit such documentation to the commissioner of administration within
18 sixty days after the termination of the declared state of disaster or emergency.
19 Section 4. This Act shall apply to expenses for meals and incidental expenses
20 incurred on and after July 1, 2026. Reimbursements for such expenses incurred prior to July
21 1, 2026, but submitted after that date shall be at the rate in effect for the paying organization
22 at the time the expense was incurred.
23 Section 5. The provisions of this Act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
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DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
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: Prohibits payment by any state agency or entity for meals and incidental expenses
for any officer or employee in excess of amounts established by the U.S. General Services
Administration (USGA).
JUDICIAL BRANCH
Present law (R.S. 13:1 et seq.) establishes general provisions governing the judicial officers
and employees of the state court system. Proposed law prohibits any court authorized by
present constitution (Art. V) or any state entity in the judicial branch from paying more for
meals or incidental expenses for any officer or employee than the rate established by the
USGA for such expenses.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Present law (R.S. 24:1 et seq.) establishes general provisions governing the operations of the
legislature. Proposed law prohibits any agency or entity in the legislative branch from
paying more for meals or incidental expenses for any officer or employee than the rate
established by the USGA for such expenses.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Present law (R.S. 39:231) authorizes the commissioner of administration, with the approval
of the governor, to prescribe the conditions that state officers and employees may be granted
travel expenses. Proposed law prohibits any agency or entity in the executive branch from
paying more for meals or incidental expenses for any officer or employee than the rate
established by the USGA for such expenses, unless authorized in writing by the
commissioner of administration when acting in accordance with an issued policy and
procedure manual.
Proposed law provides that during a gubernatorially declared state of disaster or emergency,
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 USGA by not more than
75% of the applicable USGA rate. Applies only to expenses incurred within the designated
emergency area or in any area to which state personnel are deployed in direct response to the
declared emergency or disaster and only during the established period of the state of disaster
or emergency, or 30 days after the date of the declaration, whichever occurs first. If the
governor renews the declaration, the increased reimbursement rate shall continue for the
duration of the renewed declaration.
Proposed law requires each budget unit claiming reimbursement at the increased emergency
rate to maintain documentation sufficient to demonstrate that the expenses were incurred in
direct connection with the declared emergency or disaster and submit such documentation
to the commissioner of administration within 60 days after the termination of the declared
state of disaster or emergency.
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Proposed law applies to expenses for meals and incidental expenses incurred on and after
July 1, 2026. Reimbursements for these expenses incurred prior to July 1, 2026, but
submitted after that date are to be at the rate in effect for the paying organization at the time
the expense was incurred.
Effective July 1, 2026.
(Amends R.S. 39:231(A) and (C); Adds R.S. 13:6, R.S. 24:16, and R.S. 39:231(E))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the original bill:
1. Remove provisions limiting the amount of reimbursement for lodging.
2. Add provisions regarding the maximum allowable reimbursement to executive
branch employees and public officials for lodging, meals, and incidental
expenses during a gubernatorially declared state of emergency.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Authorize executive branch agencies to pay more for meals and incidental
expenses than the rates established by the USGA if authorized in writing by the
commissioner of administration when acting in accordance with an issued policy
and procedure manual.
2. Remove lodging from provision regarding the maximum allowable
reimbursement during a gubernatorially declared state of disaster or emergency.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.