BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 192
	By: Oliverson et al. (Bettencourt)
	Finance
	8/27/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

H.B. 192 amends current law relating to the funding of law enforcement agencies in certain counties.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 120.002, Local Government Code, by adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b), as follows:

(a-1) Provides that this subsection applies only to a county with a population of more than 3.3 million. Requires a county to hold an election in accordance with Chapter 120 (Election for Reduction of Funding or Resources for Certain Primary Law Enforcement Agencies) if the county adopts a budget or changes an adopted budget resulting in a budget for a fiscal year that, compared to the budget adopted by the county for the preceding fiscal year has an effect described by Subsection (a) (relating to a budget adopted by a county that has certain effects on funding for law enforcement agencies), reallocates unspent funding that was appropriated to a law enforcement agency, or reallocates funding previously appropriated for a specific law enforcement position to another agency.

(b) Prohibits a county from implementing a proposed reduction or reallocation described by Subsection (a) or (a-1) until the county receives voter approval for the proposed reduction or reallocation at an election held for that purpose.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 120.006(a), Local Government Code, to make a conforming change.

SECTION 3. Amends Sections 120.007(a), (c), and (d), Local Government Code, to make conforming changes.

SECTION 4. Amends Subchapter Z, Chapter 130, Local Government Code, by adding Section 130.903, as follows:

Sec. 130.903. REQUIREMENTS AND PROHIBITIONS RELATED TO COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) Provides that this section applies only to a county with a population of more than 3.3 million.

(b) Prohibits a county from transferring money appropriated to the office of sheriff or constable to the county's general revenue fund or any other county account or prohibiting the office of sheriff or constable from spending money appropriated to the office for any lawful purpose.

(c) Prohibits the county from prohibiting or otherwise restricting the use of the money described by Subsection (b) by the sheriff or constable, as applicable, for a lawful purpose, if the county auditor or county treasurer determines that the money is available to the office of the sheriff or constable, as applicable.

(d) Provides that the commissioners court of the sheriff's or constable's county, in relation to money received under a contract entered into under Section 85.025 or 86.026, is required to credit the money to the office of the sheriff or constable, as applicable, and prohibited from crediting the money to the county's general revenue fund and is prohibited from reducing the appropriation to the office of the sheriff or constable, as applicable, by the amount of the money received because the money is considered for purposes of Section 120.002 as part of the office's appropriation for the county fiscal year in which the money is received.

SECTION 5. Effective date: the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session.