MOVING AND STORAGE EXPENSES OF STATE EMPLOYEES.

(a) Except as otherwise authorized by the General Appropriations Act, a state agency may use appropriated money to pay the reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in moving the household property only for a state employee who:

(1) is being reassigned from one designated headquarters to another designated headquarters of that agency, if the agency determines that the best interests of the state will be served by the reassignment and the distance between the current and future designated headquarters is at least 25 miles; or

(2) is employed at a facility that is being closed or is undergoing a reduction in force, if the employee accepts a position with the agency at another designated headquarters that is at least 25 miles from the facility being closed or undergoing a reduction in force.

(b) A state agency shall use state-owned equipment for a move authorized by Subsection (a) if it is available to the agency. If state-owned equipment is not available, the agency may pay for the services of a commercial transportation company or for self-service vehicles to make the move.

(c) A state employee is entitled to be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in traveling by personally owned or leased motor vehicle for a move described by Subsection (a) at the rate provided by the General Appropriations Act for business-related travel by a state employee.

(d) A state agency may pay for or reimburse a state employee for storage expenses incurred if the employee is required to live in state-owned housing and the housing is not available when the agency requires the move to be made.

(e) Reimbursement or payment of an expense under this section is conditioned on the submission to the comptroller of receipts or invoices showing the applicable charges.

(f) This section does not authorize payment or reimbursement of a transaction fee or sales commission for the sale of real property.