| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the rural sheriff's office and constable's office |
|
|
salary assistance grant programs. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 130.911(a), Local Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows: |
|
|
(3) "Qualified emergency dispatcher" means a person |
|
|
who provides communication support services for a sheriff's office |
|
|
by responding to requests for assistance in emergencies. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 130.911(e), Local Government Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(e) A county that is awarded a grant shall use or authorize |
|
|
the use of the grant money only: |
|
|
(1) to provide a minimum annual salary of at least: |
|
|
(A) $75,000 for the county sheriff; |
|
|
(B) $45,000 for each deputy who makes motor |
|
|
vehicle stops in the routine performance of their duties; [and] |
|
|
(C) $40,000 for each jailer whose duties include |
|
|
the safekeeping of prisoners and the security of a jail operated by |
|
|
the county; and |
|
|
(D) $40,000 for each qualified emergency |
|
|
dispatcher; |
|
|
(2) to increase the salary of a person described by |
|
|
Subdivision (1); |
|
|
(3) to hire additional deputies or staff for the |
|
|
sheriff's office; or |
|
|
(4) to purchase vehicles, firearms, and safety |
|
|
equipment for the sheriff's office. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 130.912(a), Local Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Subdivision (4) to read as follows: |
|
|
(4) "Qualified emergency dispatcher" means a person |
|
|
who provides communication support services for a constable's |
|
|
office by responding to requests for assistance in emergencies. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Sections 130.912(d), (e), and (g), Local |
|
|
Government Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(d) The comptroller shall award a grant to a qualified |
|
|
county that applies for the grant using money appropriated to the |
|
|
comptroller for that purpose. The comptroller may only award a |
|
|
grant to a county if the county agrees in writing to contribute at |
|
|
least 75 percent of the money required to meet the minimum annual |
|
|
salary requirement established under Subsection (e) for each |
|
|
qualified constable and qualified emergency dispatcher for which |
|
|
the county will also use grant money to provide that salary. |
|
|
(e) Subject to Subsection (d), a county that is awarded a |
|
|
grant shall use or authorize the use of the grant money only to |
|
|
provide a minimum annual salary of: |
|
|
(1) $45,000 to a qualified constable; and |
|
|
(2) $40,000 to a qualified emergency dispatcher. |
|
|
(g) The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to |
|
|
implement this section, including rules that establish: |
|
|
(1) a standardized application process, including the |
|
|
form to be used to apply for a grant and the manner of submitting the |
|
|
form; |
|
|
(2) deadlines for: |
|
|
(A) applying for the grant; |
|
|
(B) disbursement of grant money; and |
|
|
(C) spending grant money; |
|
|
(3) procedures for: |
|
|
(A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to |
|
|
ensure compliance with this section; and |
|
|
(B) the return of grant money that was not used by |
|
|
a county for a purpose authorized by this section; and |
|
|
(4) standards to determine if a constable or emergency |
|
|
dispatcher is a qualified constable or qualified emergency |
|
|
dispatcher. |
|
|
SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|
|
the award of a grant to a county during a fiscal year of the county |
|
|
that begins on or after the effective date of this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 6. 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. |