Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4602 Compare Versions

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1	1		By: Johnson H.B. No. 4602
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4	6		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	7		AN ACT
6	8		relating to the establishment of grant programs within the criminal
7	9		justice division of the Office of the Governor to reduce
8	10		investigatory and criminal case backlogs.
9	11		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	12		SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is
11	13		amended by adding Sections 772.00717 and 772.00718 to read as
12	14		follows:
13	15		Sec. 772.00717. FORENSIC SCIENCE IMPROVEMENT GRANT
14	16		PROGRAM. (a) In this section:
15	17		(1) "Accredited crime laboratory" has the meaning
16	18		assigned by Section 420.003.
17	19		(2) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal
18	20		justice division established under Section 772.006.
19	21		(3) "Grant program" means the forensic science
20	22		improvement grant program established under this section.
21	23		(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and
22	24		administer a grant program to provide funding for the purpose of
23	25		improving the timeliness of forensic testing and medical examiner
24	26		services and reducing the backlog of untested forensic evidence in
25	27		the possession, custody, or control of a medical examiner, coroner,
26	28		or accredited crime laboratory.
27	29		(c) The criminal justice division may award a grant under
28	30		the grant program to an eligible medical examiner, coroner, or
29	31		accredited crime laboratory to be used only for:
30	32		(1) testing by an accredited crime laboratory of
31	33		evidence that was collected in relation to a criminal offense; or
32	34		(2) medical examiner or coroner services.
33	35		(d) The criminal justice division:
34	36		(1) may establish additional eligibility criteria for
35	37		grant applicants; and
36	38		(2) shall establish:
37	39		(A) grant application procedures;
38	40		(B) guidelines relating to grant amounts;
39	41		(C) criteria for evaluating grant applications
40	42		which prioritize applicants with the largest backlogs in testing
41	43		and examinations; and
42	44		(D) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant
43	45		awarded under the grant program and ensuring compliance with any
44	46		conditions of a grant.
45	47		(e) The criminal justice division shall include in the
46	48		biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) detailed
47	49		reporting of the results and performance of the grant program.
48	50		(f) The criminal justice division may use any available
49	51		funds to implement this section.
50	52		Sec. 772.00718. INTERJURISDICTIONAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
51	53		GRANT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) In this section:
52	54		(1) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal
53	55		justice division established under Section 772.006.
54	56		(2) "Interjurisdictional criminal investigation"
55	57		means a criminal investigation conducted by two or more law
56	58		enforcement agencies serving more than one political subdivision.
57	59		(3) "Law enforcement agency" means:
58	60		(A) the police department of a municipality;
59	61		(B) the sheriff's office of a county; or
60	62		(C) a constable's office of a county.
61	63		(4) "Pilot program" means the interjurisdictional
62	64		criminal investigation grant pilot program established under this
63	65		section.
64	66		(b) From money appropriated or otherwise available for the
65	67		purpose, the criminal justice division shall establish and
66	68		administer a pilot program to provide funding to eligible law
67	69		enforcement agencies to reduce criminal case backlogs.
68	70		(c) The criminal justice division may award a grant under
69	71		the pilot program to an eligible law enforcement agency to be used
70	72		for:
71	73		(1) facilitating interjurisdictional criminal
72	74		investigations between law enforcement agencies operating in
73	75		jurisdictions with a population of 400,000 or more;
74	76		(2) improving the interjurisdictional exchange of
75	77		information relating to criminal investigations between law
76	78		enforcement agencies; or
77	79		(3) enhancing the compatibility between record
78	80		management systems operated by law enforcement agencies and
79	81		attorneys representing the state.
80	82		(d) The criminal justice division:
81	83		(1) may establish additional eligibility criteria for
82	84		grant applicants; and
83	85		(2) shall establish:
84	86		(A) grant application procedures;
85	87		(B) guidelines relating to grant amounts;
86	88		(C) criteria for evaluating grant applications;
87	89		and
88	90		(D) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant
89	91		awarded under the pilot program and ensuring compliance with any
90	92		conditions of a grant.
91	93		(e) Not later than September 1, 2026, the criminal justice
92	94		division shall prepare and submit a report on the pilot program
93	95		under this section to the Legislative Budget Board and the standing
94	96		committees of the house of representatives and the senate with
95	97		primary jurisdiction over criminal justice matters. The report
96	98		must include:
97	99		(1) an evaluation of the results and effectiveness of
98	100		the pilot program; and
99	101		(2) any recommendations for legislative or other
100	102		action.
101	103		(f) The pilot program is abolished and this section expires
102	104		September 1, 2027.
103	105		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.