89R24404 DRS-F
By: Moody H.B. No. 4944
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4944:
By: Leach C.S.H.B. No. 4944
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a grant program to provide
financial assistance to counties for transportation assistance to
indigent litigants.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 130, Local Government
Code, is amended by adding Section 130.914 to read as follows:
Sec. 130.914. COUNTY INDIGENT LITIGANT TRANSPORTATION
ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this section:
(1) "Grant" means a grant authorized to be awarded by
the comptroller under the county indigent litigant transportation
assistance grant program established by this section.
(2) "Indigent litigant" means a person who is:
(A) found by a court to be unable to afford the
payment of court costs;
(B) an eligible indigent defendant under Article
1.051, Code of Criminal Procedure;
(C) a juvenile respondent whose parent or
guardian has been found indigent under Section 51.101, Family Code;
or
(D) an indigent person eligible for
court-appointed counsel in a suit filed by a governmental entity
under Title 5, Family Code.
(b) The comptroller shall establish and administer the
county indigent litigant transportation assistance grant program
to support the state purpose of ensuring efficient administration
of justice throughout the state by providing financial assistance
to counties that assist indigent litigants with transportation to
and from court proceedings.
(c) Not later than the 30th day after the first day of a
county's fiscal year, the county may submit an application for a
grant to the comptroller. A county may submit only one application
each fiscal year.
(d) The comptroller shall award a grant to a county that
applies for the grant using money appropriated to the comptroller
for that purpose. A county that is awarded a grant shall use or
authorize the use of the grant money only to assist indigent
litigants with transportation to and from court proceedings,
including the purchase or reimbursement of:
(1) bus passes;
(2) motor vehicle fuel;
(3) rideshare service charges or taxi fares; or
(4) mileage.
(e) The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to
implement this section, including rules that establish:
(1) a standardized application process, including the
form to be used to apply for a grant and the manner of submitting the
form;
(2) deadlines for:
(A) applying for the grant;
(B) disbursement of grant money; and
(C) spending grant money;
(3) guidelines for how grant money may be used; and
(4) procedures for:
(A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to
ensure compliance with this section; and
(B) the return of grant money that was not used by
a county for a purpose authorized by this section.
SECTION 2. A county may apply for a county indigent litigant
transportation assistance grant on or after January 1, 2027.
SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2027, the comptroller
of public accounts shall comply with the requirements of Section
130.914, Local Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2026.