Subscribe to receive our Floor Reports covering all the action on the Texas House and Senate floor!
Relating to the purchase of food and beverages by the Texas
Department of Transportation for certain employees responding to
emergencies or disasters.
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
HB 2708 would allow the Texas Department of Transportation to use appropriated funds to purchase food and beverage for department employees who are unable to leave or are required to remain in a specific area as a result of providing services in response to an emergency/disaster or in response to an incident that endangers the health or safety of a person.
Texas Action remains neutral on HB 2708 because it does not significantly affect our liberty principles. Due to conditions in the disaster area and the amount of work to be done, disaster response personnel sometimes have to remain at their assigned location for a number of hours. It seems within the scope of a limited, responsible government to allow the division to provide to their disaster response team a reasonable lunch or dinner if they are not allowed to leave and buy it for themselves.