By: Guillen H.B. No. 169       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment of a grant program to provide   financial assistance to qualified sheriff's departments in certain   rural counties; making an appropriation.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:   ARTICLE 1.  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS          SECTION 1.01.  The legislature finds that:                (1)  the legislature acting with the governor has the   solemn duty to protect the citizens of this state;                (2)  many rural counties of this state are experiencing   rapid population growth due to the influx of individuals from   metropolitan areas and from outside the state;                (3)  many of these individuals settle in developments   like Colony Ridge in Liberty County, leading to population growth   and population density previously unseen in these rural counties;   and                (4)  the increases in population and density strain the   resources of these rural counties to provide adequate public   services to their citizens, particularly when it comes to providing   law enforcement in unincorporated areas of the county.   ARTICLE 2.  RURAL SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SHORTAGE RELIEF          SECTION 2.01.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 130, Local Government   Code, is amended by adding Section 130.914 to read as follows:          Sec. 130.914.  RURAL SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SHORTAGE RELIEF GRANT   PROGRAM. (a)  In this section:                (1)  "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.                (2)  "Qualified county" means a county:                      (A)  with a population of 300,000 or less; and                      (B)  for which on January 1, 2024, the ratio of the   number of deputy sheriffs who make motor vehicle stops in the   routine performance of the deputies' duties to the number of   residents of the unincorporated areas of the county on that date, as   determined by population estimates provided by the state   demographer under Section 468.004, Government Code, is less than 15   deputies to each 10,000 residents.                (3)  "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 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, 2024; and                      (C)  when aggregated with each other qualified   deputy position would result in a number of deputy sheriffs who   perform the duty described by Paragraph (A) equal to the number of   deputies needed to meet the ratio of 15 deputies to each 10,000   residents, calculated as described by Subdivision (2)(B) as of   January 1, 2024.          (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 the county is requesting for inclusion in the   determination of the amount of the grant for that fiscal year and   the number for which the county is requesting additional funds   described by Subsection (d)(2).  A county may submit only one   application each fiscal year.          (d)  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; and                (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.          (e)  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; and                (2)  subject to Subsection (f), to purchase vehicles,   firearms, and safety equipment for the use of a deputy sheriff who   fills a qualified deputy position.          (f)  A county that is awarded a grant may not use or authorize   the use of the grant money for a purpose other than prescribed by   Subsection (e)(1) until that requirement is satisfied.          (g)  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.          (h)  Subject to Subsections (h-1) and (i), a county that   received a grant under this subdivision in a preceding fiscal year   is eligible for an award if it maintains the ratio of the number of   deputy sheriffs who make motor vehicle stops in the routine   performance of the deputies' duties to the number of residents of   the unincorporated areas of the county for the calendar year the   application is made, as determined by population estimates provided   by the state demographer under Section 468.004, Government Code,   equal to or above 15 deputies to each 10,000 residents.          (h-1)  Subsection (h) only applies to a county that received   a grant under this subdivision in a preceding fiscal year and its   ratio of the number of deputy sheriffs who make motor vehicle stops   in the routine performance of the deputies' duties to the number of   residents of the unincorporated areas of the county for that   preceding fiscal year was, as determined by population estimates   provided by the state demographer under Section 468.004, Government   Code, equal to or above 15 deputies to each 10,000 residents.          (i)  For a county that has received a grant under this   subdivision in a preceding fiscal year and applies for an award   under this subdivision, if the ratio of the number of deputy   sheriffs who make motor vehicle stops in the routine performance of   the deputies' duties to the number of residents of the   unincorporated areas of the county for the calendar year the   application is made, as determined by population estimates provided   by the state demographer under Section 468.004, Government Code, is   above 16 deputies to each 10,000 residents, any award shall be   reduced in $50,000 increments for every deputy sheriff who makes   motor vehicle stops in the routine performance of the deputies'   duties above 16 deputies to each 10,000 residents.          (j)  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; and                (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.   ARTICLE 3.  APPROPRIATION          SECTION 3.01.  APPROPRIATION TO THE COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC   ACCOUNTS.  The amount of $100,000,000 is appropriated from the   general revenue fund to the Fiscal Programs within the Comptroller   of Public Accounts for use during the two-year period beginning on   the effective date of this Act for the establishment of a grant   program to provide financial assistance to qualified sheriff's   departments in certain rural counties.   ARTICLE 4. TRANSITIONS AND EFFECTIVE DATE          SECTION 4.01.  A qualified county, as defined by Section   130.914, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, may not apply   for a grant under that section before March 1, 2024.          SECTION 4.02.  Not later than March 1, 2024, the comptroller   of public accounts shall comply with the requirements of Section   130.914, Local Government Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 4.03.  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 on the 91st day after the last day of   the legislative session.