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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing and funding a grant program for testing |
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evidence collected in relation to sexual assaults or other sex |
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offenses; authorizing voluntary contributions. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 502.414 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 502.414. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION FOR EVIDENCE TESTING |
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GRANT PROGRAM. (a) When a person registers or renews the |
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registration of a motor vehicle under this chapter, the person may |
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contribute any amount to the evidence testing grant program |
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established under Section 772.00715, Government Code. |
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(b) The department shall provide, in a conspicuous manner, |
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an opportunity to contribute to the evidence testing grant program |
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in any registration renewal system used by the department. |
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(c) If a person makes a contribution under this section and |
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does not pay the full amount of a registration fee, the county |
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assessor-collector may credit all or a portion of the contribution |
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to the person's registration fee. |
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(d) The county assessor-collector shall send any |
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contribution made under this section to the comptroller for deposit |
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to the credit of the evidence testing account established under |
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Section 772.00716, Government Code, at least once every three |
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months. Before sending the money to the comptroller, the |
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department may deduct money equal to the amount of reasonable |
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expenses for administering this section. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 772.00715 and 772.00716 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 772.00715. EVIDENCE TESTING GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In |
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this section: |
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(1) "Accredited crime laboratory" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 420.003. |
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(2) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal |
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justice division established under Section 772.006. |
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(3) "Grant program" means the evidence testing grant |
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program established under this section. |
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(4) "Law enforcement agency" means: |
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(A) the police department of a municipality; |
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(B) the sheriff's office of a county; or |
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(C) a constable's office of a county. |
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(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and |
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administer a grant program and shall disburse funds to assist law |
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enforcement agencies or counties in testing evidence collected in |
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relation to a sexual assault or other sex offense. |
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(c) Grant funds may be used only for the testing by an |
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accredited crime laboratory of evidence that was collected in |
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relation to a sexual assault or other sex offense. |
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(d) The criminal justice division: |
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(1) may establish additional eligibility criteria for |
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grant applicants; and |
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(2) shall establish: |
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(A) grant application procedures; |
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(B) guidelines relating to grant amounts; and |
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(C) criteria for evaluating grant applications. |
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(e) The criminal justice division shall include in the |
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biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) detailed |
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reporting of the results and performance of the grant program. |
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(f) The criminal justice division may use any revenue |
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available to the division to fund the grant program. |
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Sec. 772.00716. EVIDENCE TESTING ACCOUNT. (a) The |
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evidence testing account is created as a dedicated account in the |
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general revenue fund of the state treasury. |
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(b) Money in the account may be appropriated only to the |
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criminal justice division established under Section 772.006 for |
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purposes of the evidence testing grant program established under |
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Section 772.00715. |
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(c) Funds distributed under Section 772.00715 are subject |
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to audit by the comptroller. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |