85R22571 AJZ-D
By: Neave, González of El Paso, Villalba, H.B. No. 4102
Minjarez, Blanco, et al.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to establishing and funding a grant program for testing
evidence collected in relation to sexual assaults or other sex
offenses; authorizing voluntary contributions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 502.414 to read as follows:
Sec. 502.414. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION FOR EVIDENCE TESTING
GRANT PROGRAM. (a) When a person registers or renews the
registration of a motor vehicle under this chapter, the person may
contribute any amount to the evidence testing grant program
established under Section 772.00715, Government Code.
(b) The department shall provide, in a conspicuous manner,
an opportunity to contribute to the evidence testing grant program
in any registration renewal system used by the department.
(c) If a person makes a contribution under this section and
does not pay the full amount of a registration fee, the county
assessor-collector may credit all or a portion of the contribution
to the person's registration fee.
(d) The county assessor-collector shall send any
contribution made under this section to the comptroller for deposit
to the credit of the evidence testing account established under
Section 772.00716, Government Code, at least once every three
months. Before sending the money to the comptroller, the
department may deduct money equal to the amount of reasonable
expenses for administering this section.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is
amended by adding Sections 772.00715 and 772.00716 to read as
follows:
Sec. 772.00715. EVIDENCE TESTING GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In
this section:
(1) "Accredited crime laboratory" has the meaning
assigned by Section 420.003.
(2) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal
justice division established under Section 772.006.
(3) "Grant program" means the evidence testing grant
program established under this section.
(4) "Law enforcement agency" means:
(A) the police department of a municipality;
(B) the sheriff's office of a county; or
(C) a constable's office of a county.
(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and
administer a grant program and shall disburse funds to assist law
enforcement agencies or counties in testing evidence collected in
relation to a sexual assault or other sex offense.
(c) Grant funds may be used only for the testing by an
accredited crime laboratory of evidence that was collected in
relation to a sexual assault or other sex offense.
(d) The criminal justice division:
(1) may establish additional eligibility criteria for
grant applicants; and
(2) shall establish:
(A) grant application procedures;
(B) guidelines relating to grant amounts; and
(C) criteria for evaluating grant applications.
(e) The criminal justice division shall include in the
biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) detailed
reporting of the results and performance of the grant program.
(f) The criminal justice division may use any revenue
available to the division to fund the grant program.
Sec. 772.00716. EVIDENCE TESTING ACCOUNT. (a) The
evidence testing account is created as a dedicated account in the
general revenue fund of the state treasury.
(b) Money in the account may be appropriated only to the
criminal justice division established under Section 772.006 for
purposes of the evidence testing grant program established under
Section 772.00715.
(c) Funds distributed under Section 772.00715 are subject
to audit by the comptroller.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.