| 2 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 5 | 7 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 6 | 8 | | Relating to the deposit of federal reimbursements for border |
|---|
| 7 | 9 | | security operations into the general revenue fund and the funding |
|---|
| 8 | 10 | | of services and programs in the border region. |
|---|
| 9 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 12 | | ARTICLE 1. USE OF FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR BORDER SECURITY |
|---|
| 11 | 13 | | OPERATIONS |
|---|
| 12 | 14 | | SECTION 1.01. Section 403.093, Government Code, is amended |
|---|
| 13 | 15 | | to read as follows: |
|---|
| 14 | 16 | | (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any funds |
|---|
| 15 | 17 | | received by the state as reimbursement from the federal government |
|---|
| 16 | 18 | | for costs associated with any border security operations or |
|---|
| 17 | 19 | | expenditures since fiscal year 2008, shall be deposited into the |
|---|
| 18 | 20 | | general revenue fund. |
|---|
| 19 | 21 | | (g) Funds deposited under subsection (f) shall be used |
|---|
| 20 | 22 | | solely for the purpose of projects qualified under Sec. 421.112, |
|---|
| 21 | 23 | | Government Code in counties located within 45 miles from the |
|---|
| 22 | 24 | | Texas-Mexico border. |
|---|
| 23 | 25 | | ARTICLE 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE BORDER REGION |
|---|
| 24 | 26 | | SECTION 2.01. Chapter 421, Government Code, is amended by |
|---|
| 25 | 27 | | adding Subchapter G to read as follows: |
|---|
| 26 | 28 | | SUBCHAPTER G. GRANT PROGRAMS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES, |
|---|
| 27 | 29 | | EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES IN THE BORDER REGION |
|---|
| 28 | 30 | | Sec. 421.111. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
|---|
| 29 | 31 | | (1) "Border region" means a county located within 45 |
|---|
| 30 | 32 | | miles from the Texas-Mexico border. |
|---|
| 31 | 33 | | (3) "Local government" means a municipality, county, |
|---|
| 32 | 34 | | special purpose district, or other political subdivision of this |
|---|
| 33 | 35 | | state. |
|---|
| 34 | 36 | | Sec. 421.112. GRANTS PROGRAMS. The comptroller shall |
|---|
| 35 | 37 | | administer grant programs to award funds to local governments or |
|---|
| 36 | 38 | | entities in the border region for: |
|---|
| 37 | 39 | | (1) infrastructure, technology, and equipment to |
|---|
| 38 | 40 | | enhance security and public safety; |
|---|
| 39 | 41 | | (2) facilities related to law enforcement, |
|---|
| 40 | 42 | | prosecution, and adjudication; and |
|---|
| 41 | 43 | | (3) other projects or initiatives necessary for the |
|---|
| 42 | 44 | | region's security and economic development. |
|---|
| 43 | 45 | | Sec. 421.113. FEDERAL FUNDS; GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. |
|---|
| 44 | 46 | | In addition to other funds appropriated by this act and for purposes |
|---|
| 45 | 47 | | of administering and funding the grant programs established under |
|---|
| 46 | 48 | | Section 421.112, the comptroller may: |
|---|
| 47 | 49 | | (1) seek and apply for any available federal funds; |
|---|
| 48 | 50 | | and |
|---|
| 49 | 51 | | (2) solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations |
|---|
| 50 | 52 | | from any other source, public or private, as necessary to ensure |
|---|
| 51 | 53 | | effective implementation of the programs. |
|---|
| 52 | 54 | | Sec. 421.114. RULES. (a) The comptroller shall adopt rules |
|---|
| 53 | 55 | | for the administration of this subchapter. |
|---|
| 54 | 56 | | (b) In adopting the rules, the comptroller shall solicit |
|---|
| 55 | 57 | | from public officials and community leaders in the border region |
|---|
| 56 | 58 | | and any other interested stakeholders information necessary to |
|---|
| 57 | 59 | | identify the greatest needs for financial assistance in that |
|---|
| 58 | 60 | | region. |
|---|
| 59 | 61 | | (c) In adopting rules that relate to the grant programs |
|---|
| 60 | 62 | | established under Section 421.112, the comptroller shall consult |
|---|
| 61 | 63 | | federal agencies, state agencies, local governments, and private |
|---|
| 62 | 64 | | entities with the relevant knowledge and expertise. |
|---|
| 63 | 65 | | (d) The rules must include: |
|---|
| 64 | 66 | | (1) administrative provisions for grants awarded |
|---|
| 65 | 67 | | under this subchapter, including: |
|---|
| 66 | 68 | | (A) eligibility criteria for grant applicants; |
|---|
| 67 | 69 | | (B) grant application procedures; |
|---|
| 68 | 70 | | (C) guidelines relating to grant amounts; |
|---|
| 69 | 71 | | (D) procedures for evaluating grant |
|---|
| 70 | 72 | | applications; |
|---|
| 71 | 73 | | (E) procedures for monitoring the use of grants; |
|---|
| 72 | 74 | | and |
|---|
| 73 | 75 | | (F) procedures for re-awarding of a grant due to |
|---|
| 74 | 76 | | technical error. |
|---|
| 75 | 77 | | (2) methods for tracking the effectiveness of grants; |
|---|
| 76 | 78 | | and |
|---|
| 77 | 79 | | (3) provisions for donations to the grant program |
|---|
| 78 | 80 | | established under Section 421.112. |
|---|
| 79 | 81 | | Sec. 421.115. GRANT AMOUNTS. The amount of a grant awarded |
|---|
| 80 | 82 | | under this subchapter may not exceed the amount set by the General |
|---|
| 81 | 83 | | Appropriations Act. |
|---|
| 82 | 84 | | Sec. 421.116. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. The recipient of a |
|---|
| 83 | 85 | | grant awarded under this subchapter shall submit to the comptroller |
|---|
| 84 | 86 | | an annual report on the grant money spent during the year covered by |
|---|
| 85 | 87 | | the report and the purposes for which that money was spent. |
|---|
| 86 | 88 | | Sec. 421.117. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. Unless otherwise |
|---|
| 87 | 89 | | provided by the appropriation, the comptroller may use a reasonable |
|---|
| 88 | 90 | | amount, not to exceed five percent, of any general revenue |
|---|
| 89 | 91 | | appropriated for purposes of this subchapter to pay the costs of |
|---|
| 90 | 92 | | administering this subchapter. |
|---|
| 91 | 93 | | ARTICLE 3. EFFECTIVE DATE |
|---|
| 92 | 94 | | SECTION 3.01. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
|---|