By: King of Parker, Guillen, White, Bowers H.B. No. 323
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a law enforcement agency accreditation grant program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 772.0077 to read as follows:
         Sec. 772.0077.  LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ACCREDITATION GRANT
  PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "criminal justice division" means
  the criminal justice division established under Section 772.006.
         (b)  The criminal justice division shall establish and
  administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to a law
  enforcement agency in this state for purposes of:
               (1)  obtaining or maintaining recognition through the
  Texas Police Chiefs Association Law Enforcement Best Practices
  Recognition Program; 
               (2)  becoming accredited or maintaining accreditation
  by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies,
  Inc.; or
               (3)  becoming accredited or maintaining accreditation
  by an association or organization designated by the criminal
  justice division under Subsection (g).
         (c)  The amount of a grant awarded under this section may not
  exceed $50,000.
         (d)  The criminal justice division shall establish:
               (1)  eligibility criteria for grant applicants;
               (2)  grant application procedures;
               (3)  guidelines relating to grant amounts;
               (4)  procedures for evaluating grant applications; and
               (5)  procedures for monitoring the use of a grant
  awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any
  conditions of a grant. 
         (e)  Not later than December 1 of each year, the criminal
  justice division shall submit to the Legislative Budget Board a
  report that provides the following information for the preceding
  state fiscal year: 
               (1)  the name of each law enforcement agency that
  applied for a grant under this section; and
               (2)  the amount of money distributed to each law
  enforcement agency that received a grant under this section.
         (f)  The criminal justice division may use any revenue
  available for purposes of this section.
         (g)  The criminal justice division, with the assistance of
  the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, shall periodically review
  associations and organizations that establish standards of
  practice for law enforcement agencies and that offer accreditation
  to agencies that meet those standards. On a determination by the
  criminal justice division that accreditation of law enforcement
  agencies in this state by an association or organization would
  benefit public safety, the commission may designate the association
  or organization as an accrediting agency for purposes of Subsection
  (b)(3). 
         SECTION 2.  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 September 1, 2021.