Relating to the establishment of grant programs to provide financial assistance to qualified sheriff's departments in certain rural counties.

89(R) HB 318 - Engrossed version - Bill Text

By: Guillen, Morales of Maverick, et al.

H.B. No. 318

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of grant programs to provide

financial assistance to qualified sheriff's departments in certain

rural counties.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 130, Local Government

Code, is amended by adding Section 130.9115 to read as follows:

Sec.

130.9115.

RURAL SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SHORTAGE RELIEF GRANT

PROGRAM. (a) In this section:

(1)

"Deputy-to-resident ratio" means the ratio of the

number of deputy sheriffs to the number of residents of the

unincorporated areas of the county, as determined by the population

estimates provided by the state demographer under Section 468.004,

Government Code.

(2)

"Grant" means a grant authorized to be awarded by

the comptroller under the rural sheriff's deputy shortage relief

grant program established by this section.

(3)

"Investigative tool" means equipment, including

software, used by a sheriff's office that is necessary for the

investigation of cases.

The term does not include services unless

the services are purchased in connection with the purchase of

tangible equipment.

(4)

"Investigator-to-patrol ratio" means the ratio of

the number of deputy sheriffs who primarily conduct case

investigations in the routine performance of the deputy's duties to

the number of deputy sheriffs who primarily make motor vehicle

stops in the routine performance of the deputy's duties.

(5) "Qualified county" means a county:

(A) with a population of 300,000 or less; and

(B) for which on January 1, 2025:

(i)

the deputy-to-resident ratio is less

than 15 to 10,000; or

(ii)

the investigator-to-patrol ratio is

less than one to five.

(6)

"Qualified deputy position" means a deputy sheriff

position in a qualified county that:

(A)

is held or will be held by a deputy sheriff

who primarily makes motor vehicle stops in the routine performance

of the deputy's duties;

(B)

is in addition to a deputy sheriff position

held in the county on January 1, 2025;

(C)

is not considered a qualified investigator

position; and

(D)

when aggregated with each other qualified

deputy position would result in a deputy-to-resident ratio of 15 to

10,000, determined as of January 1, 2025.

(7)

"Qualified emergency dispatcher" means a person

who primarily provides communication support services for a

sheriff's office by responding to requests for assistance in

emergencies.

(8)

"Qualified investigative support staff member"

means a person who primarily provides technical support services

for a qualified investigator in the investigation of an offense,

including a person who provides evidence testing or analysis

services.

(9)

"Qualified investigator position" means a deputy

sheriff position in a qualified county that:

(A)

is held or will be held by a deputy sheriff

who primarily conducts case investigations in the routine

performance of the deputy's duties;

(B)

is in addition to a deputy sheriff position

held in the county on January 1, 2025; and

(C)

when aggregated with each other qualified

investigator position would result in an investigator-to-patrol

ratio of one to five, determined as of January 1, 2025.

(b)

The comptroller shall establish and administer the

rural sheriff's deputy shortage relief grant program to support the

state purpose of ensuring professional law enforcement throughout

the state by providing financial assistance to sheriff's

departments in qualified counties.

(c)

Not later than the 30th day after the first day of a

qualified county's fiscal year, the county may submit an

application for a grant to the comptroller. The county must

indicate in the application the number of qualified deputy

positions, qualified investigator positions, qualified emergency

dispatcher positions, and qualified investigative support staff

member positions the county is requesting for inclusion in the

determination of the amount of the grant for that fiscal year and

the number of qualified deputy positions and qualified investigator

positions for which the county is requesting additional funds

described by Subsections (d)(2) and (4). A county may submit only

one application each fiscal year.

(d)

Subject to Subsections (e), (f), (g), (h), and (k), 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 grant must be in the following amount:

(1)

$50,000 for each qualified deputy position

indicated by the county in the application for that fiscal year;

(2)

an additional $50,000 for each qualified deputy

position indicated in the application for that fiscal year, unless

the county has received a grant under this subdivision for that

position in a preceding fiscal year;

(3)

$50,000 for each qualified investigator position

indicated by the county in the application for that fiscal year

necessary for an investigator-to-patrol ratio of one to five after

filling the qualified deputy positions under the grant;

(4)

an additional $50,000 for each qualified

investigator position indicated in the application for that fiscal

year, unless the county has received a grant under this subdivision

for that position in a preceding fiscal year;

(5)

$35,000 for each qualified emergency dispatcher

indicated by the county in the application for that fiscal year; and

(6)

$35,000 for each qualified investigative support

staff member indicated by the county in the application for that

fiscal year.

(e)

This subsection applies only to a fiscal year of a

qualified county that meets the deputy-to-resident ratio described

by Subsection (a)(5)(B)(i) during a calendar year that begins on or

after January 1, 2025, but before the calendar year in which the

fiscal year begins. A qualified county is not eligible to receive a

grant under this section for a fiscal year unless the county adopts

a budget for the fiscal year that provides for the employment of a

number of deputy sheriffs necessary to meet the deputy-to-resident

ratio of at least 15 to 10,000, determined as of January 1 of the

calendar year in which the fiscal year begins.

(f)

This subsection applies only to a fiscal year of a

qualified county for which the number of qualified deputy positions

the county is otherwise entitled to receive a grant for under this

section is greater than the number of qualified deputy positions

the county would be entitled to receive a grant for under this

section if the deputy-to-resident ratio described by Subsection

(a)(5)(B)(i) is determined as of January 1 of the calendar year in

which the fiscal year begins instead of January 1, 2025. A

qualified county is entitled to receive a grant under this section

only for the number of qualified deputy positions the county would

be entitled to receive a grant for if the deputy-to-resident ratio

described by Subsection (a)(5)(B)(i) is determined as of January 1

of the calendar year in which the fiscal year begins instead of

January 1, 2025.

(g)

This subsection applies only to a fiscal year of a

qualified county that meets the investigator-to-patrol ratio

described by Subsection (a)(5)(B)(ii) during a calendar year that

begins on or after January 1, 2025, but before the calendar year in

which the fiscal year begins. A qualified county is not eligible to

receive a grant under this section for a fiscal year unless the

county adopts a budget for the fiscal year that provides for the

employment of a number of deputy sheriffs necessary to meet the

investigator-to-patrol ratio of at least one to five, determined as

of January 1 of the calendar year in which the fiscal year begins.

(h)

This subsection applies only to a fiscal year of a

qualified county for which the number of qualified investigator

positions the county is otherwise entitled to receive a grant for

under this section is greater than the number of qualified

investigator positions the county would be entitled to receive a

grant for under this section if the investigator-to-patrol ratio

described by Subsection (a)(5)(B)(ii) is determined as of January 1

of the calendar year in which the fiscal year begins instead of

January 1, 2025. A qualified county is entitled to receive a grant

under this section only for the number of qualified investigator

positions the county would be entitled to receive a grant for if the

investigator-to-patrol ratio described by Subsection (a)(5)(B)(ii)

is determined as of January 1 of the calendar year in which the

fiscal year begins instead of January 1, 2025.

(i)

A county that is awarded a grant shall use or authorize

the use of the grant money only:

(1)

to provide to each deputy sheriff who fills a

qualified deputy position a minimum annual salary of at least

$45,000;

(2)

to provide to each deputy sheriff who fills a

qualified investigator position a minimum annual salary of at least

$45,000;

(3)

to provide to each dispatcher who fills a

qualified emergency dispatcher position a minimum annual salary of

at least $30,000;

(4)

to provide to each investigative support staff

member who fills a qualified investigative support staff position a

minimum salary of at least $30,000;

(5)

to purchase vehicles, firearms, and safety

equipment for the use of a deputy sheriff who fills a qualified

deputy position; and

(6)

to purchase vehicles, firearms, investigative

tools, and safety equipment for the use of a deputy sheriff who

fills a qualified investigator position.

(j)

A county that is awarded a grant may not reduce the

sheriff's department budget for the county's fiscal year following

the fiscal year in which the comptroller awards the grant.

(k)

The total dollar amount awarded under this section may

not exceed $150 million in a state fiscal year. If the total dollar

amount of grants to which counties are entitled under this section

exceeds the limitation under this subsection in a state fiscal

year, the comptroller shall proportionally reduce the amount of

each grant awarded so the limitation is not exceeded.

(l)

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 an emergency dispatcher

is a qualified emergency dispatcher.

SECTION 2. A qualified county, as defined by Section

130.9115, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, may not apply

for a grant under that section before September 1, 2026.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.