By: King of Parker, Guillen, White, Bowers, H.B. No. 323
Goodwin, et al.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a law enforcement agency accreditation grant program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 772.0077 to read as follows:
Sec. 772.0077. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ACCREDITATION 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 for purposes of:
(1) obtaining or maintaining recognition through the
Texas Police Chiefs Association Law Enforcement Agency Best
Practices Recognition Program;
(2) becoming accredited or maintaining accreditation
by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies,
Inc.; or
(3) becoming accredited or maintaining accreditation
by an association or organization designated by the criminal
justice division under Subsection (g).
(c) The amount of a grant awarded under this section may not
exceed $50,000.
(d) The criminal justice division shall establish:
(1) eligibility criteria for grant applicants;
(2) grant application procedures;
(3) guidelines relating to grant amounts;
(4) procedures for evaluating grant applications; and
(5) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant
awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any
conditions of a grant.
(e) 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; and
(2) the amount of money distributed to each law
enforcement agency that received a grant under this section.
(f) The criminal justice division may use any revenue
available for purposes of this section.
(g) The criminal justice division, with the assistance of
the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, shall periodically review
associations and organizations that establish standards of
practice for law enforcement agencies and that offer accreditation
to agencies that meet those standards. On a determination by the
criminal justice division that accreditation of law enforcement
agencies in this state by an association or organization would
benefit public safety, the commission may designate the association
or organization as an accrediting agency for purposes of Subsection
(b)(3).
(h) Subject to Subsection (i), the criminal justice
division shall adopt rules requiring each law enforcement agency of
a municipality to obtain recognition or become accredited as
described by Subsection (b). The rules must require the law
enforcement agencies to obtain recognition or become accredited not
later than September 1, 2028, or, for an agency with 10 or fewer
peace officers, not later than September 1, 2031. The criminal
justice division shall implement a program to assist the law
enforcement agencies in obtaining recognition or becoming
accredited.
(i) The rules adopted under Subsection (h) must provide that
the requirement to obtain recognition or become accredited is only
in effect if the criminal justice division determines the grant
program established under this section is sufficiently funded to
provide a grant to each eligible applicant for purposes of
satisfying the requirement.
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, 2021.