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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of grant programs within the criminal |
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justice division of the Office of the Governor to reduce |
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investigatory and criminal case backlogs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 772.00717 and 772.00718 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 772.00717. FORENSIC SCIENCE IMPROVEMENT GRANT |
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PROGRAM. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Accredited crime laboratory" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 420.003. |
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(2) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal |
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justice division established under Section 772.006. |
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(3) "Grant program" means the forensic science |
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improvement grant program established under this section. |
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(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and |
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administer a grant program to provide funding for the purpose of |
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improving the timeliness of forensic testing and medical examiner |
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services and reducing the backlog of untested forensic evidence in |
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the possession, custody, or control of a medical examiner, coroner, |
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or accredited crime laboratory. |
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(c) The criminal justice division may award a grant under |
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the grant program to an eligible medical examiner, coroner, or |
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accredited crime laboratory to be used only for: |
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(1) testing by an accredited crime laboratory of |
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evidence that was collected in relation to a criminal offense; or |
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(2) medical examiner or coroner services. |
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(d) The criminal justice division: |
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(1) may establish additional eligibility criteria for |
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grant applicants; and |
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(2) shall establish: |
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(A) grant application procedures; |
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(B) guidelines relating to grant amounts; |
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(C) criteria for evaluating grant applications |
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which prioritize applicants with the largest backlogs in testing |
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and examinations; and |
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(D) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant |
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awarded under the grant program and ensuring compliance with any |
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conditions of a grant. |
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(e) The criminal justice division shall include in the |
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biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) detailed |
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reporting of the results and performance of the grant program. |
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(f) The criminal justice division may use any available |
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funds to implement this section. |
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Sec. 772.00718. INTERJURISDICTIONAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION |
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GRANT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal |
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justice division established under Section 772.006. |
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(2) "Interjurisdictional criminal investigation" |
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means a criminal investigation conducted by two or more law |
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enforcement agencies serving more than one political subdivision. |
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(3) "Law enforcement agency" means: |
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(A) the police department of a municipality; |
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(B) the sheriff's office of a county; or |
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(C) a constable's office of a county. |
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(4) "Pilot program" means the interjurisdictional |
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criminal investigation grant pilot program established under this |
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section. |
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(b) From money appropriated or otherwise available for the |
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purpose, the criminal justice division shall establish and |
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administer a pilot program to provide funding to eligible law |
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enforcement agencies to reduce criminal case backlogs. |
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(c) The criminal justice division may award a grant under |
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the pilot program to an eligible law enforcement agency to be used |
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for: |
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(1) facilitating interjurisdictional criminal |
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investigations between law enforcement agencies operating in |
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jurisdictions with a population of 400,000 or more; |
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(2) improving the interjurisdictional exchange of |
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information relating to criminal investigations between law |
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enforcement agencies; or |
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(3) enhancing the compatibility between record |
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management systems operated by law enforcement agencies and |
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attorneys representing the state. |
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(d) The criminal justice division: |
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(1) may establish additional eligibility criteria for |
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grant applicants; and |
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(2) shall establish: |
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(A) grant application procedures; |
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(B) guidelines relating to grant amounts; |
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(C) criteria for evaluating grant applications; |
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and |
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(D) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant |
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awarded under the pilot program and ensuring compliance with any |
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conditions of a grant. |
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(e) Not later than September 1, 2026, the criminal justice |
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division shall prepare and submit a report on the pilot program |
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under this section to the Legislative Budget Board and the standing |
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committees of the house of representatives and the senate with |
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primary jurisdiction over criminal justice matters. The report |
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must include: |
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(1) an evaluation of the results and effectiveness of |
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the pilot program; and |
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(2) any recommendations for legislative or other |
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action. |
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(f) The pilot program is abolished and this section expires |
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September 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |