Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB267 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	S.B. No. 267
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to law enforcement agency accreditation, including a grant
6	6	program to assist agencies in becoming accredited.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
9	9	amended by adding Section 403.0302 to read as follows:
10	10	Sec. 403.0302. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ACCREDITATION GRANT
11	11	PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "law enforcement agency" has the
12	12	meaning assigned by Section 1701.165, Occupations Code.
13	13	(b) The comptroller shall establish and administer a grant
14	14	program to provide financial assistance for purposes of becoming
15	15	accredited as required by the rules adopted under Section 1701.165,
16	16	Occupations Code, to each law enforcement agency that employs fewer
17	17	than 250 peace officers.
18	18	(c) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a
19	19	law enforcement agency must have executed a contract with an
20	20	accrediting entity described by Section 1701.165(b), Occupations
21	21	Code, and complete an initial assessment by the accrediting entity.
22	22	(d) Based on the results of the initial assessment completed
23	23	under Subsection (c), a law enforcement agency may request grant
24	24	funds for reimbursement of an accreditation fee, staff overtime, or
25	25	temporary staffing necessary to become accredited.
26	26	(e) Grant money provided under this section may only be used
27	27	by a law enforcement agency for the purposes of becoming
28	28	accredited. A law enforcement agency may not receive more than one
29	29	grant under this section.
30	30	(f) The amount of a grant awarded under this section may not
31	31	exceed $30,000.
32	32	(g) The comptroller shall establish:
33	33	(1) eligibility criteria for grant applicants;
34	34	(2) grant application procedures;
35	35	(3) guidelines relating to grant amounts;
36	36	(4) procedures for evaluating grant applications,
37	37	including prioritizing applications from law enforcement agencies
38	38	employing fewer than 100 peace officers;
39	39	(5) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant
40	40	awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any
41	41	conditions of a grant; and
42	42	(6) procedures for revoking a grant awarded under the
43	43	program if the law enforcement agency is not accredited within the
44	44	period specified by the rules adopted under Section 1701.165,
45	45	Occupations Code.
46	46	(h) Not later than December 1 of each year, the comptroller
47	47	shall submit to the Legislative Budget Board a report that provides
48	48	the following information for the preceding state fiscal year:
49	49	(1) the name of each law enforcement agency that
50	50	applied for a grant under this section; and
51	51	(2) the amount of money distributed to each law
52	52	enforcement agency that received a grant under this section.
53	53	(i) The comptroller may use any revenue available for
54	54	purposes of this section.
55	55	(j) Notwithstanding any other law or rule, beginning
56	56	September 1, 2029, a law enforcement agency must be accredited as
57	57	provided by the rules adopted under Section 1701.165, Occupations
58	58	Code, to be eligible to receive any grant supporting law
59	59	enforcement operations or equipment acquisition administered by
60	60	the comptroller other than a grant under this section.
61	61	SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is
62	62	amended by adding Section 1701.165 to read as follows:
63	63	Sec. 1701.165. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ACCREDITATION. (a)
64	64	In this section, "law enforcement agency" means:
65	65	(1) a law enforcement agency that employs at least 20
66	66	peace officers described by Article 2.12(1), (3), (4), (8), or
67	67	(10), Code of Criminal Procedure, to answer emergency calls for
68	68	service or conduct patrol operations, traffic enforcement, or
69	69	criminal investigations; or
70	70	(2) a school district police department.
71	71	(b) The commission shall adopt rules requiring each law
72	72	enforcement agency to become accredited and maintain
73	73	accreditation:
74	74	(1) through the Texas Police Chiefs Association Law
75	75	Enforcement Agency Best Practices Accreditation Program;
76	76	(2) by the Commission on Accreditation for Law
77	77	Enforcement Agencies, Inc.;
78	78	(3) by the International Association of Campus Law
79	79	Enforcement Administrators;
80	80	(4) by an accreditation program developed by the
81	81	Sheriffs' Association of Texas; or
82	82	(5) by an association or organization designated by
83	83	the commission as provided by Subsection (e).
84	84	(c) The rules adopted under Subsection (b) must require a
85	85	law enforcement agency that is not already accredited to:
86	86	(1) execute a contract with an approved accrediting
87	87	entity not later than September 1, 2027; and
88	88	(2) become accredited not later than September 1,
89	89	2029.
90	90	(d) The commission shall implement a program to assist law
91	91	enforcement agencies in becoming accredited as required by the
92	92	rules adopted under Subsection (b).
93	93	(e) The commission shall periodically review associations
94	94	and organizations that establish standards of practice for law
95	95	enforcement agencies and that offer accreditation to agencies that
96	96	meet those standards. On a majority vote of the commission that
97	97	accreditation of law enforcement agencies in this state by an
98	98	association or organization would benefit public safety, the
99	99	commission may designate the association or organization as an
100	100	accrediting entity for purposes of Subsection (b)(5).
101	101	(f) A law enforcement agency shall annually report the
102	102	agency's accreditation status, including the applicable
103	103	accrediting entity described by Subsection (b), to the commission.
104	104	(g) The commission shall post on the commission's Internet
105	105	website a list of all law enforcement agencies that are currently
106	106	accredited or under contract with an accrediting entity as
107	107	described by Subsection (b).
108	108	SECTION 3. (a) Not later than December 1, 2023, the Texas
109	109	Commission on Law Enforcement shall adopt the rules required by
110	110	Section 1701.165, Occupations Code, as added by this Act.
111	111	(b) Not later than January 1, 2024, the comptroller shall
112	112	establish the grant program required by Section 403.0302,
113	113	Government Code, as added by this Act.
114	114	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
115	115	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
116	116	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
117	117	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
118	118	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
119	119	______________________________ ______________________________
120	120	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
121	121	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 267 passed the Senate on
122	122	April 19, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1; and that
123	123	the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 19, 2023, by the
124	124	following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
125	125	______________________________
126	126	Secretary of the Senate
127	127	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 267 passed the House, with
128	128	amendment, on May 16, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 136,
129	129	Nays 5, one present not voting.
130	130	______________________________
131	131	Chief Clerk of the House
132	132	Approved:
133	133	______________________________
134	134	Date
135	135	______________________________
136	136	Governor