By: West, et al. S.B. No. 12
(King of Parker, Johnson of Dallas, Villalba, Burkett,
Fallon, et al.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a grant program to assist law
enforcement agencies with the purchase of bulletproof vests and
body armor.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 772.0073 to read as follows:
Sec. 772.0073. BULLETPROOF VEST AND BODY ARMOR GRANT
PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "criminal justice division" means
the criminal justice division established under Section 772.006.
(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and
administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to a law
enforcement agency in this state that seeks to equip its peace
officers with bulletproof vests, ballistic plates, and plate
carriers.
(c) A vest or plate purchased with a grant received under
this section must comply with a National Institute of Justice
standard for rifle protection.
(d) A law enforcement agency may apply for a grant under
this section only if the agency first adopts a policy addressing
the:
(1) deployment and allocation of vests or plates to
its officers; and
(2) usage of vests or plates by its officers.
(e) A law enforcement agency receiving a grant under this
section must, as soon as practicable after receiving the grant,
provide to the criminal justice division proof of purchase of
bulletproof vests, ballistic plates, and plate carriers, including
the price of each item and the number of each type of item
purchased.
(f) Not later than December 1 of each year, the criminal
justice division shall submit to the Legislative Budget Board a
report that provides the following information for the preceding
state fiscal year:
(1) the name of each law enforcement agency that
applied for a grant under this section;
(2) the amount of money distributed to each law
enforcement agency that received a grant under this section; and
(3) as reported under Subsection (e), the number of
vests, plates, and carriers purchased by each agency described by
Subdivision (2).
(g) The criminal justice division may use any revenue
available for purposes of this section.
SECTION 2. 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, 2017.