BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 12
	By: West
	Criminal Justice
	5/24/2017
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 12 as filed creates a grant program that will equip members of law enforcement statewide with protective vests. The grant program will be administered through the Office of the Governor (governor's office) similar to the process created for S.B. 158, 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, the body camera bill.

All law enforcement agencies will be eligible to apply for grants to outfit officers assigned to patrol duties or who respond to calls for assistance with protective vests.

S.B. 12 has the support of the lieutenant governor.

Under S.B. 12, an agency that receives grant funding is required to report to the governor's office the number of vests purchased and the cost of each vest. Currently, local governing bodies or local law enforcement agencies have the responsibility of securing funding for the purchase of protective vests. Federal and private grants are also used to assist in the purchase of protective vests.

S.B. 12 may use any available funding for the purchase of protective vests, including federal funding and donations. (Original Author's / Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

S.B. 12 amends current law relating to the creation of a grant program to assist law enforcement agencies with the purchase of bulletproof vests and body armor.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, by adding Section 772.0073, as follows:

Sec. 772.0073. BULLETPROOF VEST AND BODY ARMOR GRANT PROGRAM. (a) Defines "criminal justice division."

(b) Requires the criminal justice division (division) to establish and administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to a law enforcement agency in this state that seeks to equip its peace officers with bulletproof vests (vests), ballistic plates, and plate carriers.

(c) Requires that a vest or plate purchased with a grant received under this section comply with a National Institute of Justice standard for rifle protection.

(d) Authorizes a law enforcement agency to apply for a grant under this section only if the agency first adopts a policy addressing the deployment and allocation of vests or plates to its officers and usage of vests or plates by its officers.

(e) Requires a law enforcement agency receiving a grant under this section, as soon as practicable after receiving the grant, to provide to the division proof of purchase of vests, ballistic plates, and plate carriers, including the price of each item and the number of each type of item purchased.

(f) Requires, not later than December 1 of each year, the division to submit to the Legislative Budget Board a report that provides, for the preceding state fiscal year, the name of each law enforcement agency that applied for a grant under this section, the amount of money distributed to each law enforcement agency that received a grant under this section, and as reported under Subsection (e), the number of vests, plates, and carriers purchased by each agency.

(g) Authorizes the division to use any revenue available for purposes of this section.�

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.