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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a law enforcement agency accreditation grant program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 772.0079 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 772.0079. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ACCREDITATION GRANT |
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PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "criminal justice division" means |
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the criminal justice division established under Section 772.006. |
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(b) This section applies only to a law enforcement agency |
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employing one or more peace officers described by Article 2.12(1), |
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(2), (3), (4), or (8), Code of Criminal Procedure. |
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(c) The criminal justice division shall establish and |
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administer a grant program to provide to each law enforcement |
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agency to which this section applies financial assistance for |
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purposes of becoming accredited or maintaining accreditation: |
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(1) through the Texas Police Chiefs Association Law |
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Enforcement Agency Best Practices Accreditation Program; |
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(2) by the Commission on Accreditation for Law |
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Enforcement Agencies, Inc.; |
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(3) by the International Association of Campus Law |
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Enforcement Administrators; or |
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(4) by an association or organization designated by |
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the criminal justice division under Subsection (h). |
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(d) The amount of a grant awarded under this section may not |
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exceed $50,000. |
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(e) The criminal justice division shall 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; |
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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; and |
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(6) procedures for revoking a grant awarded under the |
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program if the law enforcement agency: |
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(A) is not accredited within the period specified |
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by the rules adopted under Subsection (i); or |
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(B) does not renew or otherwise maintain the |
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agency's accreditation. |
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(f) Not later than December 1 of each year, the criminal |
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justice division shall submit to the Legislative Budget Board a |
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report that provides the following information for the preceding |
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state fiscal year: |
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(1) the name of each law enforcement agency that |
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applied for a grant under this section; and |
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(2) the amount of money distributed to each law |
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enforcement agency that received a grant under this section. |
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(g) The criminal justice division may use any revenue |
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available for purposes of this section. |
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(h) The criminal justice division, with the assistance of |
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the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, shall periodically review |
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associations and organizations that establish standards of |
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practice for law enforcement agencies and that offer accreditation |
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to agencies that meet those standards. On a determination by the |
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criminal justice division that accreditation of law enforcement |
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agencies in this state by an association or organization would |
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benefit public safety, the commission may designate the association |
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or organization as an accrediting agency for purposes of Subsection |
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(c)(4). |
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(i) The criminal justice division shall adopt rules |
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requiring each law enforcement agency to which this section applies |
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to become accredited as described by Subsection (c). The rules must |
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require law enforcement agencies to become accredited as follows: |
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(1) not later than September 1, 2026, for law |
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enforcement agencies employing 50 or more peace officers; and |
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(2) not later than September 1, 2027, for law |
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enforcement agencies employing fewer than 50 peace officers. |
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(j) The criminal justice division shall implement a program |
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to assist eligible applicants in becoming accredited as required by |
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the rules adopted under Subsection (i). |
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(k) A law enforcement agency that receives a grant awarded |
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under the program annually shall report the agency's accreditation |
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status, including the applicable accrediting agency described by |
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Subsection (c)(1), (2), (3), or (4), to the Texas Commission on Law |
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Enforcement. |
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(l) The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement shall post on |
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the commission's Internet website a list of all law enforcement |
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agencies that are currently accredited as described by Subsection |
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(c). |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |