89R16203 SCF-F
By: Guillen H.B. No. 5513
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the rural law enforcement child care grant program,
fund, and advisory committee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter S to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER S. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE GRANT PROGRAM
Sec. 411.551. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Advisory committee" means the rural law
enforcement child care advisory committee established under
Section 411.555.
(2) "Fund" means the rural law enforcement child care
fund established under Section 411.553.
(3) "Program" means the rural law enforcement child
care grant program established under Section 411.552.
Sec. 411.552. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE GRANT
PROGRAM. (a) The department shall establish and administer the
rural law enforcement child care grant program to assist local law
enforcement officers in rural areas of this state with accessing
child care.
(b) The program must be designed to support rural law
enforcement officers and their families by:
(1) providing financial assistance for child care
costs incurred by rural law enforcement officers;
(2) ensuring rural law enforcement officers have
access to quality child care services;
(3) enhancing workforce stability in rural law
enforcement agencies; and
(4) strengthening community support systems for rural
law enforcement officers.
(c) The department shall develop policies and procedures to
administer the program by establishing:
(1) eligibility criteria for grant recipients;
(2) procedures for a rural law enforcement officer or
agency to apply for a grant; and
(3) guidance on grant amounts and reporting
requirements.
(d) The department may award a grant under the grant program
only in accordance with a contract between the department and the
grant recipient that includes provisions under which the department
is granted sufficient control to ensure the public purpose of
providing child-care assistance for rural law enforcement officers
is accomplished and this state receives the return benefit. The
department shall monitor and enforce the terms of the contract.
Sec. 411.553. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE FUND. (a)
The rural law enforcement child care fund is established as a
special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund
to be administered by the department.
(b) The fund consists of:
(1) money the legislature appropriates to the
department for deposit to the credit of the fund for purposes of
this subchapter;
(2) money received from the federal government for the
purposes of this subchapter;
(3) gifts, donations, and grants to the fund,
including federal grants;
(4) interest earned on the investment of money in the
fund; and
(5) money from any source designated for deposit into
the fund.
Sec. 411.554. REPORT. (a) The department annually shall
compile and submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, and
legislature a report describing:
(1) the number of grants awarded in the preceding
year;
(2) the geographic distribution of grant recipients in
this state;
(3) the impact of the program on law enforcement
officer retention;
(4) testimonials from law enforcement officers who
have benefited from a grant award; and
(5) recommendations for enhancements to the program.
(b) The department shall post on the department's publicly
accessible Internet website the report submitted under Subsection
(a).
Sec. 411.555. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE. (a) The department shall establish the rural law
enforcement child care advisory committee to provide
recommendations to the department on:
(1) funding priorities for the program;
(2) a process to review and approve grant
applications; and
(3) improvements to the program.
(b) The director in the director's discretion shall appoint
the following members to the advisory committee:
(1) a representative from one or more rural law
enforcement agencies;
(2) one or more experts on child care policy, as
determined by the director;
(3) one or more representatives from the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement;
(4) one or more interested persons from rural
communities; and
(5) one representative from a law enforcement family
advocacy organization.
SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective
date of this Act, the public safety director of the Department of
Public Safety shall appoint members to the rural law enforcement
child care advisory committee, as required by Section 411.555,
Government Code, as added by this Act.
(b) Not later than June 1, 2026, the Department of Public
Safety shall adopt rules necessary to establish and implement the
grant program under Subchapter S, Chapter 411, Government Code, as
added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.