LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 4, 2025

TO:	Honorable Cecil Bell, Chair, House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB3253 by Pierson (Relating to the rural constable's office salary assistance grant program.), As Introduced

There would be an indeterminate cost to the state dependent on amount of funding appropriated for the grant program.

Although the bill would make no appropriation, it would establish the basis for an appropriation.

The bill would modify the Rural Constable's Office Salary Assistance Program, requiring the Comptroller to award grants ranging from $75,000 to $150,000 to constable precincts in counties with a population of less than 300,000 people. Grant funding would be used to provide certain minimum salaries and salary increases, as well as to hire additional deputies or staff for the constables office and purchase vehicles, firearms, and safety equipment. Funding would be used first to satisfy the minimum salary requirement.

The bill would remove the requirement for a county to contribute at least 75 percent of the minimum annual salary to each qualified constable in order to be eligible to receive a grant.

Is is assumed that any administrative costs associated with the implementation of the bill could be absorbed using existing resources.

Local Government Impact

The fiscal implications of the bill to units of local government cannot be determined at this time.

Source Agencies:

304 Comptroller of Public Accounts

LBB Staff:

JMc, SZ, LCO, CSmi, NV