| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to establishing and funding a grant program for testing |
|
|
evidence collected in relation to sexual assaults or other sex |
|
|
offenses; authorizing voluntary contributions. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, |
|
|
is amended by adding Section 521.012 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 521.012. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION FOR EVIDENCE TESTING |
|
|
GRANT PROGRAM. (a) When a person applies for an original or |
|
|
renewal driver's license or personal identification certificate |
|
|
under this chapter, the person may contribute $1 or more to the |
|
|
evidence testing grant program established under Section |
|
|
772.00715, Government Code. |
|
|
(b) The department shall: |
|
|
(1) include space on the first page of each |
|
|
application for an original or renewal driver's license or personal |
|
|
identification certificate that allows a person applying for an |
|
|
original or renewal driver's license or personal identification |
|
|
certificate to indicate the amount that the person is voluntarily |
|
|
contributing to the grant program; and |
|
|
(2) provide an opportunity for the person to |
|
|
contribute to the grant program during the application process for |
|
|
an original or renewal driver's license or personal identification |
|
|
certificate on the department's Internet website. |
|
|
(c) The department shall send any contribution made under |
|
|
this section to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the |
|
|
evidence testing account established under Section 772.00716, |
|
|
Government Code, not later than the 14th day of each month. Before |
|
|
sending the money to the comptroller, the department may deduct |
|
|
money equal to the amount of reasonable expenses for administering |
|
|
this section. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 522, Transportation Code, |
|
|
is amended by adding Section 522.0295 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 522.0295. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION FOR EVIDENCE TESTING |
|
|
GRANT PROGRAM. (a) When a person applies for an original or |
|
|
renewal commercial driver's license under this chapter, the person |
|
|
may contribute $1 or more to the evidence testing grant program |
|
|
established under Section 772.00715, Government Code. |
|
|
(b) The department shall: |
|
|
(1) include space on the first page of each |
|
|
application for an original or renewal commercial driver's license |
|
|
that allows a person applying for an original or renewal commercial |
|
|
driver's license to indicate the amount that the person is |
|
|
voluntarily contributing to the grant program; and |
|
|
(2) provide an opportunity for the person to |
|
|
contribute to the grant program during the application process for |
|
|
an original or renewal commercial driver's license on the |
|
|
department's Internet website. |
|
|
(c) The department shall send any contribution made under |
|
|
this section to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the |
|
|
evidence testing account established under Section 772.00716, |
|
|
Government Code, not later than the 14th day of each month. Before |
|
|
sending the money to the comptroller, the department may deduct |
|
|
money equal to the amount of reasonable expenses for administering |
|
|
this section. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Sections 772.00715 and 772.00716 to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
Sec. 772.00715. EVIDENCE TESTING GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In |
|
|
this section: |
|
|
(1) "Accredited crime laboratory" has the meaning |
|
|
assigned by Section 420.003. |
|
|
(2) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal |
|
|
justice division established under Section 772.006. |
|
|
(3) "Grant program" means the evidence testing grant |
|
|
program established under this section. |
|
|
(4) "Law enforcement agency" means: |
|
|
(A) the police department of a municipality; |
|
|
(B) the sheriff's office of a county; or |
|
|
(C) a constable's office of a county. |
|
|
(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and |
|
|
administer a grant program and shall disburse funds to assist law |
|
|
enforcement agencies or counties in testing evidence collected in |
|
|
relation to a sexual assault or other sex offense. |
|
|
(c) Grant funds may be used only for the testing by an |
|
|
accredited crime laboratory of evidence that was collected in |
|
|
relation to a sexual assault or other sex offense. |
|
|
(d) The criminal justice division: |
|
|
(1) may establish additional eligibility criteria for |
|
|
grant applicants; and |
|
|
(2) shall establish: |
|
|
(A) grant application procedures; |
|
|
(B) guidelines relating to grant amounts; and |
|
|
(C) criteria for evaluating grant applications. |
|
|
(e) The criminal justice division shall include in the |
|
|
biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) detailed |
|
|
reporting of the results and performance of the grant program. |
|
|
(f) The criminal justice division may use any revenue |
|
|
available to the division to fund the grant program. |
|
|
Sec. 772.00716. EVIDENCE TESTING ACCOUNT. (a) The |
|
|
evidence testing account is created as a dedicated account in the |
|
|
general revenue fund of the state treasury. |
|
|
(b) Money in the account may be appropriated only to the |
|
|
criminal justice division established under Section 772.006 for |
|
|
purposes of the evidence testing grant program established under |
|
|
Section 772.00715. |
|
|
(c) Funds distributed under Section 772.00715 are subject |
|
|
to audit by the comptroller. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|
|
a person who applies for an original or renewal driver's license, |
|
|
commercial driver's license, or personal identification |
|
|
certificate on or after January 1, 2018. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |