88R1241 JTZ-D
 
  By: Spiller, Sherman, Sr., Dean, Ashby H.B. No. 626
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the salaries of sheriffs and to state assistance
  payments to offset the cost of sheriff's salaries in certain
  counties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 152, Local Government
  Code, is amended by adding Sections 152.0715 and 152.0716 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 152.0715.  STATEWIDE MINIMUM SALARY OF SHERIFFS.
  Notwithstanding any other law, the commissioners court of a county
  shall provide for each fiscal year a salary of at least $75,000 for
  the county's sheriff.
         Sec. 152.0716.  STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PAY SALARIES
  OF SHERIFFS OF CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a)  This section applies only to
  a county with a population of 50,000 or less.
         (b)  To serve the state purpose of ensuring professional law
  enforcement throughout the state, a county is entitled to an
  assistance payment from the state for each county fiscal year to
  assist the county in paying the sheriff's salary required by
  Section 152.0715 as follows:
               (1)  if a county has a population of 25,000 or less, the
  county is entitled to a payment of $25,000; and
               (2)  if a county has a population of more than 25,000,
  the county is entitled to a payment of $10,000.
         (c)  Not later than the 30th day after the first day of a
  county's fiscal year, the county must submit an application in the
  form and manner prescribed by comptroller rule to the comptroller
  to receive the assistance payment.
         (d)  The comptroller shall remit the applicable assistance
  payment to which a county is entitled from available state funds not
  later than the 30th day after the date the comptroller receives the
  county's application for the assistance payment.
         (e)  The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to
  implement this section.
         SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  a county fiscal year that begins on or after January 1, 2024.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than January 1, 2024, the comptroller
  of public accounts shall adopt rules as required by Section
  152.0716(e), 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 September 1, 2023.