BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 626

By: Spiller

Appropriations

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Our sheriffs need and deserve a meaningful salary increase. H.B. 626 seeks to help address this issue by requiring a county commissioners court to provide for each fiscal year a minimum salary of $75,000 for the county's sheriff and by providing for state assistance payments to offset the cost of sheriff's salaries in certain counties with lower populations.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the comptroller of public accounts in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 626 amends the Local Government Code to require a county commissioners court to provide for each fiscal year a minimum salary of $75,000 for the county's sheriff.

H.B. 626 entitles a county, for purposes of serving the state purpose of ensuring professional law enforcement throughout Texas, to an assistance payment from the state for each county fiscal year to assist the county in paying the sheriff's salary as follows:

· a payment of $25,000 for a county that has a population of 25,000 or less; and

· a payment of $10,000 for a county that has a population of more than 25,000 but less than or equal to 50,000.

The bill requires a county, not later than the 30th day after the first day of the county's fiscal year, to submit an application in the form and manner prescribed by comptroller of public accounts rule to the comptroller to receive the assistance payment. The bill requires the comptroller to remit the applicable assistance payment to which a county is entitled from available state funds not later than the 30th day after the date the comptroller receives an application. The bill requires the comptroller, not later than January 1, 2024, to adopt rules necessary to implement these provisions of the bill regarding assistance payments.

H.B. 626 applies only to a county fiscal year that begins on or after January 1, 2024.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.