By: Guillen, Morales of Maverick, et al. H.B. No. 318       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment of grant programs to provide   financial assistance to qualified sheriff's departments in certain   rural counties.          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 130.9115 to read as follows:          Sec. 130.9115.  RURAL SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SHORTAGE RELIEF GRANT   PROGRAM. (a) In this section:                (1)  "Deputy-to-resident ratio" means the ratio of the   number of deputy sheriffs to the number of residents of the   unincorporated areas of the county, as determined by the population   estimates provided by the state demographer under Section 468.004,   Government Code.                (2)  "Grant" means a grant authorized to be awarded by   the comptroller under the rural sheriff's deputy shortage relief   grant program established by this section.                (3)  "Investigative tool" means equipment, including   software, used by a sheriff's office that is necessary for the   investigation of cases.  The term does not include services unless   the services are purchased in connection with the purchase of   tangible equipment.                (4)  "Investigator-to-patrol ratio" means the ratio of   the number of deputy sheriffs who primarily conduct case   investigations in the routine performance of the deputy's duties to   the number of deputy sheriffs who primarily make motor vehicle   stops in the routine performance of the deputy's duties.                (5)  "Qualified county" means a county:                      (A)  with a population of 300,000 or less; and                      (B)  for which on January 1, 2025:                            (i)  the deputy-to-resident ratio is less   than 15 to 10,000; or                            (ii)  the investigator-to-patrol ratio is   less than one to five.                (6)  "Qualified deputy position" means a deputy sheriff   position in a qualified county that:                      (A)  is held or will be held by a deputy sheriff   who primarily makes motor vehicle stops in the routine performance   of the deputy's duties;                      (B)  is in addition to a deputy sheriff position   held in the county on January 1, 2025;                      (C)  is not considered a qualified investigator   position; and                      (D)  when aggregated with each other qualified   deputy position would result in a deputy-to-resident ratio of 15 to   10,000, determined as of January 1, 2025.                (7)  "Qualified emergency dispatcher" means a person   who primarily provides communication support services for a   sheriff's office by responding to requests for assistance in   emergencies.                (8)  "Qualified investigative support staff member"   means a person who primarily provides technical support services   for a qualified investigator in the investigation of an offense,   including a person who provides evidence testing or analysis   services.                (9)  "Qualified investigator position" means a deputy   sheriff position in a qualified county that:                      (A)  is held or will be held by a deputy sheriff   who primarily conducts case investigations in the routine   performance of the deputy's duties;                      (B)  is in addition to a deputy sheriff position   held in the county on January 1, 2025; and                      (C)  when aggregated with each other qualified   investigator position would result in an investigator-to-patrol   ratio of one to five, determined as of January 1, 2025.          (b)  The comptroller shall establish and administer the   rural sheriff's deputy shortage relief grant program to support the   state purpose of ensuring professional law enforcement throughout   the state by providing financial assistance to sheriff's   departments in qualified counties.          (c)  Not later than the 30th day after the first day of a   qualified county's fiscal year, the county may submit an   application for a grant to the comptroller. The county must   indicate in the application the number of qualified deputy   positions, qualified investigator positions, qualified emergency   dispatcher positions, and qualified investigative support staff   member positions the county is requesting for inclusion in the   determination of the amount of the grant for that fiscal year and   the number of qualified deputy positions and qualified investigator   positions for which the county is requesting additional funds   described by Subsections (d)(2) and (4). A county may submit only   one application each fiscal year.          (d)  Subject to Subsections (e), (f), (g), (h), and (k), the   comptroller shall award a grant to a qualified county that applies   for the grant using money appropriated to the comptroller for that   purpose. The grant must be in the following amount:                (1)  $50,000 for each qualified deputy position   indicated by the county in the application for that fiscal year;                (2)  an additional $50,000 for each qualified deputy   position indicated in the application for that fiscal year, unless   the county has received a grant under this subdivision for that   position in a preceding fiscal year;                (3)  $50,000 for each qualified investigator position   indicated by the county in the application for that fiscal year   necessary for an investigator-to-patrol ratio of one to five after   filling the qualified deputy positions under the grant;                (4)  an additional $50,000 for each qualified   investigator position indicated in the application for that fiscal   year, unless the county has received a grant under this subdivision   for that position in a preceding fiscal year;                (5)  $35,000 for each qualified emergency dispatcher   indicated by the county in the application for that fiscal year; and                (6)  $35,000 for each qualified investigative support   staff member indicated by the county in the application for that   fiscal year.          (e)  This subsection applies only to a fiscal year of a   qualified county that meets the deputy-to-resident ratio described   by Subsection (a)(5)(B)(i) during a calendar year that begins on or   after January 1, 2025, but before the calendar year in which the   fiscal year begins. A qualified county is not eligible to receive a   grant under this section for a fiscal year unless the county adopts   a budget for the fiscal year that provides for the employment of a   number of deputy sheriffs necessary to meet the deputy-to-resident   ratio of at least 15 to 10,000, determined as of January 1 of the   calendar year in which the fiscal year begins.          (f)  This subsection applies only to a fiscal year of a   qualified county for which the number of qualified deputy positions   the county is otherwise entitled to receive a grant for under this   section is greater than the number of qualified deputy positions   the county would be entitled to receive a grant for under this   section if the deputy-to-resident ratio described by Subsection   (a)(5)(B)(i) is determined as of January 1 of the calendar year in   which the fiscal year begins instead of January 1, 2025. A   qualified county is entitled to receive a grant under this section   only for the number of qualified deputy positions the county would   be entitled to receive a grant for if the deputy-to-resident ratio   described by Subsection (a)(5)(B)(i) is determined as of January 1   of the calendar year in which the fiscal year begins instead of   January 1, 2025.          (g)  This subsection applies only to a fiscal year of a   qualified county that meets the investigator-to-patrol ratio   described by Subsection (a)(5)(B)(ii) during a calendar year that   begins on or after January 1, 2025, but before the calendar year in   which the fiscal year begins. A qualified county is not eligible to   receive a grant under this section for a fiscal year unless the   county adopts a budget for the fiscal year that provides for the   employment of a number of deputy sheriffs necessary to meet the   investigator-to-patrol ratio of at least one to five, determined as   of January 1 of the calendar year in which the fiscal year begins.          (h)  This subsection applies only to a fiscal year of a   qualified county for which the number of qualified investigator   positions the county is otherwise entitled to receive a grant for   under this section is greater than the number of qualified   investigator positions the county would be entitled to receive a   grant for under this section if the investigator-to-patrol ratio   described by Subsection (a)(5)(B)(ii) is determined as of January 1   of the calendar year in which the fiscal year begins instead of   January 1, 2025. A qualified county is entitled to receive a grant   under this section only for the number of qualified investigator   positions the county would be entitled to receive a grant for if the   investigator-to-patrol ratio described by Subsection (a)(5)(B)(ii)   is determined as of January 1 of the calendar year in which the   fiscal year begins instead of January 1, 2025.          (i)  A county that is awarded a grant shall use or authorize   the use of the grant money only:                (1)  to provide to each deputy sheriff who fills a   qualified deputy position a minimum annual salary of at least   $45,000;                (2)  to provide to each deputy sheriff who fills a   qualified investigator position a minimum annual salary of at least   $45,000;                (3)  to provide to each dispatcher who fills a   qualified emergency dispatcher position a minimum annual salary of   at least $30,000;                (4)  to provide to each investigative support staff   member who fills a qualified investigative support staff position a   minimum salary of at least $30,000;                (5)  to purchase vehicles, firearms, and safety   equipment for the use of a deputy sheriff who fills a qualified   deputy position; and                (6)  to purchase vehicles, firearms, investigative   tools, and safety equipment for the use of a deputy sheriff who   fills a qualified investigator position.          (j)  A county that is awarded a grant may not reduce the   sheriff's department budget for the county's fiscal year following   the fiscal year in which the comptroller awards the grant.          (k)  The total dollar amount awarded under this section may   not exceed $150 million in a state fiscal year. If the total dollar   amount of grants to which counties are entitled under this section   exceeds the limitation under this subsection in a state fiscal   year, the comptroller shall proportionally reduce the amount of   each grant awarded so the limitation is not exceeded.          (l)  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)  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; and                (4)  standards to determine if an emergency dispatcher   is a qualified emergency dispatcher.          SECTION 2.  A qualified county, as defined by Section   130.9115, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, may not apply   for a grant under that section before September 1, 2026.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.