| 1 | 1 | | By: King of Uvalde H.B. No. 4670 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to a grant program to compensate certain property owners |
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| 7 | 7 | | for damages caused by criminal activities. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Title 1, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended |
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| 10 | 10 | | by adding Chapter 56C to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | CHAPTER 56C. GRANT PROGRAM FOR LANDOWNER COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGES |
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| 12 | 12 | | CAUSED BY CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 56C.01. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this section: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) "Agricultural land" includes any land the use of |
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| 15 | 15 | | which qualifies the land for appraisal based on agricultural use as |
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| 16 | 16 | | defined under Subchapter D, Chapter 23, Tax Code. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) "Property damage" means any damage as a result of |
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| 18 | 18 | | the commission of an offense listed in Chapter 28, Penal Code. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (3) "Trespasser" means a trespasser as defined by |
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| 20 | 20 | | Section 75.007, Civil Practice and Remedies Code. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) The attorney general shall establish and administer a |
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| 22 | 22 | | grant program to compensate landowners who suffer property damage |
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| 23 | 23 | | on agricultural land by a trespasser as a result of the commission |
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| 24 | 24 | | of an offense under Section 20.05 or 38.04, Penal Code, any offense |
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| 25 | 25 | | under Chapter 20A, Penal Code, or any offense under Subchapter D, |
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| 26 | 26 | | Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) The attorney general shall establish: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) eligibility criteria for grant applicants; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (2) grant application procedures; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) criteria for evaluating grant applications and |
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| 31 | 31 | | awarding grants; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (4) guidelines related to grant amounts; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | (5) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant |
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| 34 | 34 | | awarded under this section and ensuring compliance with any |
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| 35 | 35 | | conditions of the grant. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (d) The eligibility criteria established under Subsection |
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| 37 | 37 | | (c)(1) must include a requirement that the applicant promptly |
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| 38 | 38 | | reported the offense to an appropriate law enforcement agency. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (e) The attorney general may use any revenue available for |
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| 40 | 40 | | purposes of this section. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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