By: Springer S.B. No. 43
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the provision of state aid to certain counties for
  increased costs incurred when officers employed by the Department
  of Public Safety are reassigned to another area of the state to
  secure the border.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 130, Local Government
  Code, is amended by adding Section 130.911 to read as follows:
         Sec. 130.911.  STATE AID TO CERTAIN COUNTIES ADVERSELY
  AFFECTED BY REASSIGNMENT OF CERTAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FOR
  BORDER SECURITY. (a) This section applies only to a county that
  has a population of 100,000 or less.
         (b)  A county that during the county's fiscal year incurs
  increased costs associated with operating the county sheriff's
  office because officers employed by the Department of Public Safety
  who were assigned to perform law enforcement duties in the county
  were reassigned to locations outside the county to secure the
  international border of this state with the United Mexican States
  is entitled to an assistance payment from the state.
         (c)  The amount of the assistance payment to which a county
  is entitled is equal to the lesser of the following amounts:
               (1)  the amount equal to the increased costs described
  by Subsection (b) during the county fiscal year for which the
  payment is requested; or
               (2)  the amount equal to the product of:
                     (A)  the number of hours that officers employed by
  the Department of Public Safety would have spent performing law
  enforcement duties in the county during the county fiscal year for
  which the payment is requested if those officers had not been
  reassigned to locations outside the county for the purpose
  described by Subsection (b); and
                     (B)  the average hourly wage of a patrol officer
  employed by the Department of Public Safety during the county
  fiscal year for which the payment is requested.
         (d)  A county must submit an application to the comptroller
  not later than the 30th day after the last day of the county fiscal
  year for which the assistance payment is requested to receive a
  payment under this section. The application must be made on a form
  prescribed by the comptroller.
         (e)  The comptroller shall review each application to
  determine whether a county is entitled to an assistance payment
  under this section. If the comptroller determines that the county
  is entitled to the payment, the comptroller shall remit the payment
  from available funds to the county not later than the 30th day after
  the date the application for the payment is made. A county is
  entitled to only one assistance payment under this section for each
  county fiscal year.
         (f)  The Department of Public Safety shall provide to the
  commissioners court of a county or the comptroller any information
  requested by the commissioners court or the comptroller, including
  information described by Subsection (c)(2)(B).
         (g)  The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to
  implement and administer this section.
         SECTION 2.  Section 130.911, Local Government Code, as added
  by this Act, applies only to a county fiscal year that begins on or
  after January 1, 2022.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than January 1, 2022, the comptroller
  of public accounts shall adopt rules as required by Section
  130.911(g), Local Government Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
  legislative session.