REIMBURSEMENT OF MEMBERS' EXPENSES; APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS.

(a) Notwithstanding other law, the manner and amount of reimbursement for expenses, including travel expenses, of members of an advisory committee may be prescribed only:

(1) by the General Appropriations Act; or

(2) through the budget execution process under Chapter 317 if the advisory committee is created after it is practicable to address the existence of the committee in the General Appropriations Act.

(b) A state agency that is advised by an advisory committee must request authority to reimburse the expenses of members of the committee through the appropriations or budget execution process, as appropriate, if the agency determines that the expenses of committee members should be reimbursed. The request must:

(1) identify the costs related to the advisory committee's existence, including the cost of agency staff time spent in support of the committee's activities;

(2) state the reasons the advisory committee should continue in existence; and

(3) identify any other advisory committees created to advise the agency that should be consolidated or abolished.

(c) As part of the appropriations and budget execution process, the governor and the Legislative Budget Board shall jointly identify advisory committees that should be abolished. The comptroller may recommend to the governor and the Legislative Budget Board that an advisory committee should be abolished.

(d) The General Appropriations Act may provide for reimbursing the expenses of members of certain advisory committees without providing for reimbursing the expenses of members of other advisory committees.

(e) This section does not apply to an advisory committee the services of which are determined by the governing board of a retirement system trust fund to be necessary for the performance of the governing board's fiduciary duties under the state constitution.