BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4264

By: Hefner

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill author has informed the committee that career law enforcement officers should be rewarded for remaining in their career field and continuing to better themselves through training, education, and service time. The bill author further informs the committee that there should be a focus on retaining experienced officers who would otherwise consider leaving the job as soon as they are eligible for retirement. 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.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 4264 amends the Government Code to require the criminal justice division within the Office of the Governor to establish a grant program for the public purpose of fostering the professional development of peace officers employed in Texas. The bill requires a person to meet the following criteria to be eligible for a grant under the bill's provisions:

· hold a master proficiency certificate issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement under Occupations Code provisions relating to professional training and recognition;

· 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.

Only the following persons may apply for a grant under the bill's provisions:

· a law enforcement agency on behalf of an employee of the agency who meets the eligibility criteria for a grant; or

· a person who meets those eligibility criteria with the consent of the person's employing law enforcement agency.

The bill requires the criminal justice division to award a grant under the bill's provisions to a law enforcement agency and restricts the law enforcement agency's use of money from such a grant to increasing the compensation of the employee who applied for the grant or for whom the agency applied for the grant. The bill requires the criminal justice division to establish procedures for the following:

· processing grant applications in addition to any other application procedures prescribed by the bill's provisions;

· evaluating grant applications; and

· monitoring the use of a grant awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any condition of a grant.

The bill requires the criminal justice division to award grants under the bill's provisions in an amount equal to $6,500 for each award but also 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. The bill authorizes the criminal justice division to use any money available for purposes of the bill's provisions. The bill defines the following terms:

· "law enforcement agency" as an agency of the state or an agency of a political subdivision of the state authorized by law to employ peace officers; and

· "peace officer" as a person elected, employed, or appointed as a peace officer under Code of Criminal Procedure provisions relating to peace officers generally or other law.

H.B. 4264 establishes that the criminal justice division may award a grant under the bill's provisions only with respect to a master proficiency certificate issued under Occupations Code provisions relating to professional training and recognition on or after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.