Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3253 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Pierson H.B. No. 3253
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6	6	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	7	AN ACT
8	8	relating to the rural constable's office salary assistance grant
9	9	program.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Section 130.912, Local Government Code, is
12	12	amended by amending Subsections (d), (e), and (g) and adding
13	13	Subsection (e-1) to read as follows:
14	14	(d) The comptroller shall award a grant to a qualified
15	15	county that applies for the grant using money appropriated to the
16	16	comptroller for that purpose. The grant must be in the following
17	17	applicable amount:
18	18	(1) $75,000 for each constable precinct in the county
19	19	if the county has a population of less than 10,000;
20	20	(2) $100,000 for each constable precinct in the county
21	21	if the county has a population of 10,000 or more and less than
22	22	50,000; and
23	23	(3) $150,000 for each constable precinct in the county
24	24	if the county has a population of 50,000 or more and 300,000 or less
25	25	[The comptroller may only award a grant to a county if the county
26	26	agrees in writing to contribute at least 75 percent of the money
27	27	required to meet the minimum annual salary requirement established
28	28	under Subsection (e) for each qualified constable for which the
29	29	county will also use grant money to provide that salary].
30	30	(e) A [Subject to Subsection (d), a] county that is awarded
31	31	a grant shall use or authorize the use of the grant money only:
32	32	(1) to provide a minimum annual salary of at least:
33	33	(A) $65,000 for the [$45,000 to a qualified]
34	34	constable of each precinct; and
35	35	(B) $45,000 for each deputy constable who makes
36	36	motor vehicle stops in the routine performance of the deputy
37	37	constable's duties;
38	38	(2) to increase the salary of a person described by
39	39	Subdivision (1);
40	40	(3) to hire additional deputies or staff for the
41	41	constable's office; or
42	42	(4) to purchase vehicles, firearms, and safety
43	43	equipment for the constable's office.
44	44	(e-1) A county that is awarded a grant may not use or
45	45	authorize the use of the grant money for a purpose other than to
46	46	meet the minimum salary requirements prescribed by Subsection
47	47	(e)(1) until those requirements are satisfied.
48	48	(g) The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to
49	49	implement this section, including rules that establish:
50	50	(1) a standardized application process, including the
51	51	form to be used to apply for a grant and the manner of submitting the
52	52	form;
53	53	(2) deadlines for:
54	54	(A) applying for the grant;
55	55	(B) disbursement of grant money; and
56	56	(C) spending grant money; and
57	57	(3) procedures for:
58	58	(A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to
59	59	ensure compliance with this section; and
60	60	(B) the return of grant money that was not used by
61	61	a county for a purpose authorized by this section[; and
62	62	[(4) standards to determine if a constable is a
63	63	qualified constable].
64	64	SECTION 2. Section 130.912(a)(2), Local Government Code, is
65	65	repealed.
66	66	SECTION 3. Section 130.912, Local Government Code, as
67	67	amended by this Act, applies only to the award of a grant to a county
68	68	under the rural constable's office salary assistance grant program
69	69	during a fiscal year of the county that begins on or after the
70	70	effective date of this Act.
71	71	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
72	72	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
73	73	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
74	74	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
75	75	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.