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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a rural county law enforcement grant |
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program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter T to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER T. RURAL COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT GRANT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 403.571. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "rural |
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county law enforcement agency" means any of the following if |
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located in a county with a population of 275,000 or less: |
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(1) a sheriff's office; |
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(2) a constable's office; |
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(3) a district attorney's office; |
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(4) a criminal district attorney's office; or |
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(5) a county attorney's office with criminal |
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prosecution duties. |
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Sec. 403.572. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM. The |
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comptroller shall establish and administer a grant program through |
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which a rural county law enforcement agency may apply for a grant |
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that may be used to pay for: |
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(1) the salaries of sheriffs, sheriff's deputies, |
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jailers, or office support staff, including the hiring of |
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additional deputies, jailers, and office support staff; |
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(2) the salaries of constables and deputy constables, |
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including the hiring of additional deputies; |
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(3) the salaries of assistant prosecuting attorneys, |
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investigators, victim assistance coordinators, or office support |
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staff, including the hiring of additional attorneys, |
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investigators, coordinators, and office support staff; |
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(4) any costs for the recruitment of staff; |
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(5) the purchase, lease, or maintenance of equipment, |
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vehicles, office technology services and hardware, and office |
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infrastructure and related facilities; and |
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(6) any costs for personnel training and related |
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office expenses, including training to obtain or maintain an |
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accreditation related to the position of the person undergoing the |
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training. |
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Sec. 403.573. AMOUNT OF GRANTS. (a) The comptroller shall |
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award a grant to a rural county law enforcement agency that applies |
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for the grant using money appropriated to the comptroller for that |
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purpose. |
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(b) A rural county law enforcement agency that is a |
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sheriff's office or constable's office may be awarded a grant of not |
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more than: |
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(1) $250,000, if the applicant is located in a county |
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with a population of less than 10,000; |
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(2) $350,000, if the applicant is located in a county |
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with a population of 10,000 or more but less than 50,000; or |
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(3) $500,000, if the applicant is located in a county |
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with a population of 50,000 or more but not more than 275,000. |
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(c) A rural county law enforcement agency that is a district |
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attorney's office, a criminal district attorney's office, or a |
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county attorney's office with criminal prosecution duties may be |
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awarded a grant of not more than: |
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(1) $100,000, if the applicant is located in a county |
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with a population of less than 10,000; |
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(2) $175,000, if the applicant is located in a county |
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with a population of 10,000 or more but less than 50,000; or |
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(3) $275,000, if the applicant is located in a county |
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with a population of 50,000 or more but not more than 275,000. |
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(d) For purposes of Subsection (c), a multi-county district |
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attorney's office is considered to be located in the county in the |
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district with the largest population. |
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Sec. 403.574. LIMITATION ON GRANT APPLICATIONS. A rural |
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county law enforcement agency may apply for a grant under this |
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subchapter not more than once each fiscal year of the county in |
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which the agency is located. |
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Sec. 403.575. APPROVAL OF COMMISSIONERS COURT REQUIRED. |
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Before a rural law enforcement agency uses money received from a |
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grant awarded under this subchapter for a purpose described by |
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Section 403.572, the agency must obtain written approval to use the |
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money for that purpose from the commissioners court of the county in |
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which the agency is located. The commissioners court of a county |
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may not reduce the amount of money provided to a rural county law |
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enforcement agency because of grant funds provided under this |
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subchapter to the rural county law enforcement agency. |
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Sec. 403.576. DUTY TO RETURN UNSPENT GRANT MONEY. A rural |
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county law enforcement agency that is awarded a grant under this |
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subchapter shall return any unspent money awarded under that grant |
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to the comptroller not later than the second anniversary of the date |
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on which the money was disbursed to the agency. |
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Sec. 403.577. REPORT. Not later than December 1 of each |
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even-numbered year, the comptroller shall submit to the legislature |
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a report on the results and performance of the grant program |
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established under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 403.578. RULES. The comptroller shall adopt rules to |
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administer this subchapter, including rules that establish: |
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(1) eligibility criteria for grant applicants; |
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(2) grant application procedures; |
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(3) guidelines relating to grant amounts; |
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(4) procedures for evaluating grant applications; and |
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(5) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant |
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awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any |
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conditions of a grant. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2024. |