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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the rural sheriff's office, rural constable's office, |
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and rural prosecutor's office salary assistance grant programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 130.911(e) and (h), Local Government |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(e) A county that is awarded a grant shall use or authorize |
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the use of the grant money only: |
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(1) to provide a minimum annual salary of at least: |
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(A) $75,000 for the county sheriff; |
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(B) $45,000 for each deputy who makes motor |
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vehicle stops in the routine performance of their duties; [and] |
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(C) $40,000 for each jailer whose duties include |
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the safekeeping of prisoners and the security of a jail operated by |
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the county; and |
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(D) $40,000 for each telecommunicator, as |
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defined by Section 1701.001, Occupations Code, employed by the |
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county sheriff; |
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(2) to increase the salary of a person described by |
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Subdivision (1); |
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(3) to hire additional deputies or staff for the |
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sheriff's office; or |
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(4) to purchase vehicles, firearms, and safety |
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equipment for the sheriff's office. |
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(h) The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules that establish: |
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(1) a standardized application process, including the |
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form to be used to apply for a grant and the manner of submitting the |
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form; |
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(2) deadlines for: |
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(A) applying for the grant; |
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(B) disbursement of grant money; and |
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(C) spending grant money; and |
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(3) procedures for: |
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(A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to |
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ensure compliance with this section, including a requirement that |
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the county auditor or other appropriate county officer report to |
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the comptroller's office on the disbursement and compliance; and |
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(B) the return of grant money that was not used by |
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a county for a purpose authorized by this section. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 130.912(d) and (g), Local Government |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(d) The comptroller shall award a grant to a qualified |
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county that applies for the grant using money appropriated to the |
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comptroller for that purpose. The comptroller may only award a |
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grant to a county if the county agrees in writing to contribute at |
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least 25 [75] percent of the money required to meet the minimum |
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annual salary requirement established under Subsection (e) for each |
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qualified constable for which the county will also use grant money |
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to provide that salary. |
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(g) The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules that establish: |
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(1) a standardized application process, including the |
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form to be used to apply for a grant and the manner of submitting the |
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form; |
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(2) deadlines for: |
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(A) applying for the grant; |
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(B) disbursement of grant money; and |
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(C) spending grant money; |
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(3) procedures for: |
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(A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to |
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ensure compliance with this section, including a requirement that |
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the county auditor or other appropriate county officer report to |
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the comptroller's office on the disbursement and compliance; and |
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(B) the return of grant money that was not used by |
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a county for a purpose authorized by this section; and |
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(4) standards to determine if a constable is a |
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qualified constable. |
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SECTION 3. Section 130.913(g), Local Government Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(g) The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules that establish: |
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(1) a standardized application process, including the |
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form to be used to apply for a grant and the manner of submitting the |
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form; |
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(2) deadlines for: |
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(A) applying for the grant; |
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(B) disbursement of grant money; and |
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(C) spending grant money; and |
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(3) procedures for: |
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(A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to |
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ensure compliance with this section, including a requirement that |
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the county auditor or other appropriate county officer report to |
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the comptroller's office on the disbursement and compliance; and |
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(B) the return of grant money that was not used by |
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a qualified prosecutor's office for a purpose authorized by this |
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section. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 130.911(e) and 130.912(d), Local |
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Government Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to the award of |
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a grant to a county under the rural sheriff's office salary |
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assistance grant program or rural constable's office salary |
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assistance grant program during a fiscal year of the county that |
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begins on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |