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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the ineligibility of certain local governments for |
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certain criminal justice grants as a result of budget reductions |
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affecting local law enforcement agencies. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 772.0065 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 772.0065. INELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT FOLLOWING CERTAIN |
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BUDGET REDUCTIONS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal |
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justice division established under Section 772.006. |
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(2) "Local government" means a municipality or county. |
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(b) A local government is ineligible to receive a grant |
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awarded by the criminal justice division if the division determines |
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that: |
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(1) the local government has adopted a budget for a |
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fiscal year for the sheriff's department or municipal police |
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department, as applicable, that in comparison to the preceding |
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fiscal year reduces the budget of the department by 5 percent or |
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more and the reduction is not due to a similar decrease in the |
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amount of tax revenue collected by the local government; and |
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(2) the reduction will have a significant, adverse |
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effect on public safety within the applicable county or |
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municipality. |
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(c) A local government that is receiving money under a grant |
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awarded by the criminal justice division shall notify the division |
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of any reduction described by Subsection (b)(1) not later than the |
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15th day after the date the reduction takes effect. At the request |
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of the criminal justice division, the local government shall |
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provide a description of the reduction and any anticipated effects |
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on public safety. |
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(d) The criminal justice division shall require a local |
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government applying for a grant to: |
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(1) disclose whether the most recent budget of the |
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local government constitutes a reduction as described by Subsection |
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(b)(1); and |
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(2) provide a description of the reduction and any |
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anticipated effects on public safety. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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with respect to the adoption of a budget by a municipality or county |
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for a fiscal year that begins on or after the effective date of this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |