LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION March 9, 2025 TO: Honorable Cecil Bell, Chair, House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB318 by Guillen (Relating to the establishment of grant programs to provide financial assistance to qualified sheriff's departments in certain rural counties.), As Introduced Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB318, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($300,000,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. This analysis assumes the maximum amount of grants, as authorized by the bill, would be awarded in a fiscal year. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill. General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact toGeneral Revenue Related Funds2026($150,000,000)2027($150,000,000)2028($150,000,000)2029($150,000,000)2030($150,000,000)All Funds, Five-Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable (Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund12026($150,000,000)2027($150,000,000)2028($150,000,000)2029($150,000,000)2030($150,000,000) Fiscal AnalysisThe bill would establish two grant programs to provide financial assistance to certain sheriffs' departments in counties with populations of less than 300,000. It would require the Comptroller to administer the Rural Sheriff's Deputy Shortage Relief Grant Program to award grants between $50,000 and $100,000 per fiscal year to counties for each qualified deputy sheriff who fills a qualified deputy position. A qualified county would need to meet a certain deputy-to-resident ratio. The grant funding must be used to provide a minimum annual salary of $45,000 and to purchase vehicles, firearms, and safety equipment. The total grants awarded could not exceed $100 million in a state fiscal year.The bill would require the Comptroller to administer the Rural Sheriff's Investigator Shortage Relief Grant Program to award grants between $50,000 and $100,000 per fiscal year to counties for each qualified deputy sheriff who fills a qualified investigator position. A qualified county would need to meet a certain investigator-to-patrol ratio. The grant funding must be used to provide a minimum annual salary of $45,000 and to purchase vehicles, firearms, investigative tools, and safety equipment. The total grants awarded could not exceed $50 million in a state fiscal year.The bill would require the Comptroller to adopt rules as necessary to implement the provisions of the bill. It would also require the Comptroller to proportionally reduce each grant awarded if the total dollar amount of grants to which counties are entitled exceeds the annual maximums for each program.
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
March 9, 2025
TO: Honorable Cecil Bell, Chair, House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB318 by Guillen (Relating to the establishment of grant programs to provide financial assistance to qualified sheriff's departments in certain rural counties.), As Introduced
TO: Honorable Cecil Bell, Chair, House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs
FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB318 by Guillen (Relating to the establishment of grant programs to provide financial assistance to qualified sheriff's departments in certain rural counties.), As Introduced
Honorable Cecil Bell, Chair, House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs
Honorable Cecil Bell, Chair, House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
HB318 by Guillen (Relating to the establishment of grant programs to provide financial assistance to qualified sheriff's departments in certain rural counties.), As Introduced
HB318 by Guillen (Relating to the establishment of grant programs to provide financial assistance to qualified sheriff's departments in certain rural counties.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB318, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($300,000,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. This analysis assumes the maximum amount of grants, as authorized by the bill, would be awarded in a fiscal year. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB318, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($300,000,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. This analysis assumes the maximum amount of grants, as authorized by the bill, would be awarded in a fiscal year. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:
2026 ($150,000,000)
2027 ($150,000,000)
2028 ($150,000,000)
2029 ($150,000,000)
2030 ($150,000,000)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
2026 ($150,000,000)
2027 ($150,000,000)
2028 ($150,000,000)
2029 ($150,000,000)
2030 ($150,000,000)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would establish two grant programs to provide financial assistance to certain sheriffs' departments in counties with populations of less than 300,000. It would require the Comptroller to administer the Rural Sheriff's Deputy Shortage Relief Grant Program to award grants between $50,000 and $100,000 per fiscal year to counties for each qualified deputy sheriff who fills a qualified deputy position. A qualified county would need to meet a certain deputy-to-resident ratio. The grant funding must be used to provide a minimum annual salary of $45,000 and to purchase vehicles, firearms, and safety equipment. The total grants awarded could not exceed $100 million in a state fiscal year.The bill would require the Comptroller to administer the Rural Sheriff's Investigator Shortage Relief Grant Program to award grants between $50,000 and $100,000 per fiscal year to counties for each qualified deputy sheriff who fills a qualified investigator position. A qualified county would need to meet a certain investigator-to-patrol ratio. The grant funding must be used to provide a minimum annual salary of $45,000 and to purchase vehicles, firearms, investigative tools, and safety equipment. The total grants awarded could not exceed $50 million in a state fiscal year.The bill would require the Comptroller to adopt rules as necessary to implement the provisions of the bill. It would also require the Comptroller to proportionally reduce each grant awarded if the total dollar amount of grants to which counties are entitled exceeds the annual maximums for each program.
Methodology
This analysis assumes that the total amount of grants authorized by the bill for a fiscal year is awarded by the Comptroller: $100,000,000 for the Rural Sheriff's Deputy Shortage Relief Grant Program and $50,000,000 for the Rural Sheriff's Investigator Shortage Relief Grant Program.It is assumed that any administrative or information technology costs could be absorbed using existing resources.
It is assumed that any administrative or information technology costs could be absorbed using existing resources.
Local Government Impact
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time.
Source Agencies: b > td > 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, SZ, LCO, CSmi, CMA, NV
JMc, SZ, LCO, CSmi, CMA, NV