89R16203 SCF-F

By: Guillen H.B. No. 5513

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the rural law enforcement child care grant program, fund, and advisory committee.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by adding Subchapter S to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER S. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE GRANT PROGRAM

Sec. 411.551. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Advisory committee" means the rural law enforcement child care advisory committee established under Section 411.555.

(2) "Fund" means the rural law enforcement child care fund established under Section 411.553.

(3) "Program" means the rural law enforcement child care grant program established under Section 411.552.

Sec. 411.552. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The department shall establish and administer the rural law enforcement child care grant program to assist local law enforcement officers in rural areas of this state with accessing child care.

(b) The program must be designed to support rural law enforcement officers and their families by:

(1) providing financial assistance for child care costs incurred by rural law enforcement officers;

(2) ensuring rural law enforcement officers have access to quality child care services;

(3) enhancing workforce stability in rural law enforcement agencies; and

(4) strengthening community support systems for rural law enforcement officers.

(c) The department shall develop policies and procedures to administer the program by establishing:

(1) eligibility criteria for grant recipients;

(2) procedures for a rural law enforcement officer or agency to apply for a grant; and

(3) guidance on grant amounts and reporting requirements.

(d) The department may award a grant under the grant program only in accordance with a contract between the department and the grant recipient that includes provisions under which the department is granted sufficient control to ensure the public purpose of providing child-care assistance for rural law enforcement officers is accomplished and this state receives the return benefit. The department shall monitor and enforce the terms of the contract.

Sec. 411.553. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE FUND. (a) The rural law enforcement child care fund is established as a special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund to be administered by the department.

(b) The fund consists of:

(1) money the legislature appropriates to the department for deposit to the credit of the fund for purposes of this subchapter;

(2) money received from the federal government for the purposes of this subchapter;

(3) gifts, donations, and grants to the fund, including federal grants;

(4) interest earned on the investment of money in the fund; and

(5) money from any source designated for deposit into the fund.

Sec. 411.554. REPORT. (a) The department annually shall compile and submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature a report describing:

(1) the number of grants awarded in the preceding year;

(2) the geographic distribution of grant recipients in this state;

(3) the impact of the program on law enforcement officer retention;

(4) testimonials from law enforcement officers who have benefited from a grant award; and

(5) recommendations for enhancements to the program.

(b) The department shall post on the department's publicly accessible Internet website the report submitted under Subsection (a).

Sec. 411.555. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The department shall establish the rural law enforcement child care advisory committee to provide recommendations to the department on:

(1) funding priorities for the program;

(2) a process to review and approve grant applications; and

(3) improvements to the program.

(b) The director in the director's discretion shall appoint the following members to the advisory committee:

(1) a representative from one or more rural law enforcement agencies;

(2) one or more experts on child care policy, as determined by the director;

(3) one or more representatives from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement;

(4) one or more interested persons from rural communities; and

(5) one representative from a law enforcement family advocacy organization.

SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, the public safety director of the Department of Public Safety shall appoint members to the rural law enforcement child care advisory committee, as required by Section 411.555, Government Code, as added by this Act.

(b) Not later than June 1, 2026, the Department of Public Safety shall adopt rules necessary to establish and implement the grant program under Subchapter S, Chapter 411, Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.