BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 4264
	By: Hefner (Hinojosa, Juan "Chuy")
	Finance
	5/15/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Law enforcement agencies across the country are facing unprecedented staffing and recruitment challenges. Some have suggested that rewarding career law enforcement officers for their time in the service would help law enforcement agencies to retain experienced officers and enhance the longevity of law enforcement officers' careers. H.B. 4264 seeks to enhance the longevity of law enforcement officers' careers by creating a grant program to award one-time stipends for eligible law enforcement officers.

H.B. 4264 amends current law relating to creation of a grant program for certain peace officers who hold a master proficiency certificate.

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 Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, by adding Section 772.013, as follows:

Sec. 772.013. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN PEACE OFFICERS WITH MASTER PROFICIENCY CERTIFICATE. (a) Defines "criminal justice division," "law enforcement agency," and "peace officer."

(b) Requires the criminal justice division to establish a grant program for the public purpose of fostering the professional development of peace officers employed in this state.

(c) Requires a person, to be eligible for a grant under this section, to hold a master proficiency certificate issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement under Section 1701.402 (Proficiency Certificates), Occupations Code, be employed on a full-time basis as a peace officer by a law enforcement agency, and meet any other eligibility criteria established by the criminal justice division.

(d) Provides that only the following persons are authorized to apply for a grant under this section: a law enforcement agency on behalf of an employee of the agency who meets the eligibility criteria for a grant under this section or a person who meets the eligibility criteria for a grant under this section with the consent of the person's employing law enforcement agency.

(e) Requires the criminal justice division to award a grant under this section to a law enforcement agency. Requires the law enforcement agency to use the money only to increase the compensation of the employee who applied for the grant or for whom the agency applied for the grant.

(f) Requires the criminal justice division to establish procedures for processing grant applications in addition to any other application procedures prescribed by this section, evaluating grant applications, and monitoring the use of a grant awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any condition of a grant.

(g) Requires the criminal justice division, except as otherwise provided by this subsection, to award grants under this section in an amount equal to $6,500 for each award. Authorizes the criminal justice division to increase the amount of an award in a state fiscal year after the state fiscal year in which the program was established to an amount the value of which is equal to the value of the grant in the previous fiscal year after adjustment for inflation, as calculated by the criminal justice division.

(h) Authorizes the criminal justice division to use any money available for purposes of this section.

(i) Prohibits a grant awarded under this section from being awarded to the same person more than one time.

SECTION 2. Makes application of Section 772.013, Government Code, as added by this Act, prospective.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.