House delivers rebuke to TABC, cuts travel budget
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission got a swift and harsh rebuke Thursday from the Texas House of Representatives, which voted unanimously to bar most out-of-state trips by the agency and restrict its use of money from outside groups that are funded by the liquor industry.
The move, which would take effect this summer, comes after The Texas Tribune reported that TABC honchos have spent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars traveling to swanky resorts outside Texas and staged conferences at home with help from the liquor industry.
The bipartisan proposal was attached as an amendment to a budget bill that impacts the current fiscal year. It would bar the agency from using state money to travel out of state unless it's for "bonafide and documented law enforcement or investigative activities." It would also stop the agency or its employees from accepting payments or spending authority from “any trade, professional or industry organization ... for any purpose."
“My taxpayers that I serve demanded it, and we reacted,” said Rep. Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, who authored the proposal. “We’re sending a message, hopefully to other agencies, that we need to be mindful of the tax dollars.”
Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2017/04/06/house-delivers-rebuke-tabc-cuts-travel-budget/
