Bill Text: TX HB2115 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the rural sheriff's office, rural constable's office, and rural prosecutor's office salary assistance grant programs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-27 - Filed [HB2115 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB2115-Introduced.html

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89R8861 MZM-D
By: Ashby H.B. No. 2115

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the rural sheriff's office, rural constable's office,
and rural prosecutor's office salary assistance grant programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 130.911(e) and (h), Local Government
Code, are 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 telecommunicator, as
defined by Section 1701.001, Occupations Code, employed by the
county sheriff;
(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.
(h) 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; and
(3) procedures for:
(A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to
ensure compliance with this section, including a requirement that
the county auditor or other appropriate county officer report to
the comptroller's office on the disbursement and compliance; and
(B) the return of grant money that was not used by
a county for a purpose authorized by this section.
SECTION 2. Sections 130.912(d) 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 25 [75] percent of the money required to meet the minimum
annual salary requirement established under Subsection (e) for each
qualified constable for which the county will also use grant money
to provide that salary.
(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, including a requirement that
the county auditor or other appropriate county officer report to
the comptroller's office on the disbursement and compliance; 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 is a
qualified constable.
SECTION 3. Section 130.913(g), Local Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(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; and
(3) procedures for:
(A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to
ensure compliance with this section, including a requirement that
the county auditor or other appropriate county officer report to
the comptroller's office on the disbursement and compliance; and
(B) the return of grant money that was not used by
a qualified prosecutor's office for a purpose authorized by this
section.
SECTION 4. Sections 130.911(e) and 130.912(d), Local
Government Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to the award of
a grant to a county under the rural sheriff's office salary
assistance grant program or rural constable's office salary
assistance grant program during a fiscal year of the county that
begins on or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.