S.B. No. 22         AN ACT   relating to the establishment of grant programs to provide   financial assistance to qualified sheriff's offices, constable's   offices, and prosecutor's offices in 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 Sections 130.911, 130.912, and 130.913   to read as follows:          Sec. 130.911.  RURAL SHERIFF'S OFFICE SALARY ASSISTANCE   GRANT PROGRAM.  (a)  In this section:                (1)  "Grant" means a grant authorized to be awarded by   the comptroller under the rural sheriff's office salary assistance   grant program established by this section.                (2)  "Qualified county" means a county with a   population of 300,000 or less.          (b)  The comptroller shall establish and administer the   rural sheriff's office salary assistance grant program to support   the state purpose of ensuring professional law enforcement   throughout the state by providing financial assistance to sheriff's   offices 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.  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   applicable amount:                (1)  $250,000 if the county has a population of less   than 10,000;                (2)  $350,000 if the county has a population of 10,000   or more and less than 50,000; or                (3)  $500,000 if the county has a population of 50,000   or more and 300,000 or less.          (e)  A county that is awarded a grant shall use or authorize   the use of the grant money only:                (1)  to provide a minimum annual salary of at least:                      (A)  $75,000 for the county sheriff;                      (B)  $45,000 for each deputy who makes motor   vehicle stops in the routine performance of their duties; and                      (C)  $40,000 for each jailer whose duties include   the safekeeping of prisoners and the security of a jail operated by   the county;                (2)  to increase the salary of a person described by   Subdivision (1);                (3)  to hire additional deputies or staff for the   sheriff's office; or                (4)  to purchase vehicles, firearms, and safety   equipment for the sheriff's office.          (f)  A county that is awarded a grant may not use or authorize   the use of the grant money for a purpose other than to meet the   minimum salary requirements prescribed by Subsection (e)(1) until   those requirements are satisfied.          (g)  A county may not reduce the amount of funds provided to   the sheriff's office because of grant funds provided under this   section.          (h)  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.          Sec. 130.912.  RURAL CONSTABLE'S OFFICE SALARY ASSISTANCE   GRANT PROGRAM.  (a)  In this section:                (1)  "Grant" means a grant authorized to be awarded by   the comptroller under the rural constable's office salary   assistance grant program established by this section.                (2)  "Qualified constable" means a constable elected to   an office created on or before January 1, 2023, who primarily makes   motor vehicle stops in the routine performance of the constable's   duties.                (3)  "Qualified county" means a county with a   population of 300,000 or less.          (b)  The comptroller shall establish and administer the   rural constable's office salary assistance grant program to support   the state purpose of ensuring professional law enforcement   throughout the state by providing financial assistance to   constable's offices 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.  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 comptroller may only award a   grant to a county if the county agrees in writing to contribute at   least 75 percent of the money required to meet the minimum annual   salary requirement established under Subsection (e) for each   qualified constable for which the county will also use grant money   to provide that salary.          (e)  Subject to Subsection (d), a county that is awarded a   grant shall use or authorize the use of the grant money only to   provide a minimum annual salary of $45,000 to a qualified   constable.          (f)  A county may not reduce the amount of funds provided to   the constable's office because of grant funds provided under this   section.          (g)  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 a constable is a   qualified constable.          Sec. 130.913.  RURAL PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE SALARY ASSISTANCE   GRANT PROGRAM.  (a)  In this section:                (1)  "Grant" means a grant authorized to be awarded by   the comptroller under the rural prosecutor's office salary   assistance grant program established by this section.                (2)  "Qualified prosecutor's office" means, in a   jurisdiction with a population of 300,000 or less, the office of a   district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney   with criminal prosecution duties.          (b)  The comptroller shall establish and administer the   rural prosecutor's office salary assistance grant program to   support the state purpose of ensuring professional legal   representation of the people's interests throughout the state by   providing financial assistance to qualified prosecutor's offices.          (c)  Not later than the 30th day after the first day of a   qualified prosecutor's office's fiscal year, the prosecutor's   office may submit an application for a grant to the comptroller.  A   prosecutor's office may submit only one application each fiscal   year.          (d)  The comptroller shall award a grant to a qualified   prosecutor's office that applies for the grant using money   appropriated to the comptroller for that purpose.  The grant must be   in the following applicable amount:                (1)  $100,000 if the prosecutor's office's jurisdiction   has a population of less than 10,000;                (2)  $175,000 if the prosecutor's office's jurisdiction   has a population of 10,000 or more and less than 50,000; or                (3)  $275,000 if the prosecutor's office's jurisdiction   has a population of 50,000 or more and 300,000 or less.          (e)  A prosecutor's office that is awarded a grant shall use   or authorize the use of the grant money only:                (1)  to increase the salary of an assistant attorney,   an investigator, or a victim assistance coordinator employed at the   office; or                (2)  to hire additional staff for the office.          (f)  A county may not reduce the amount of funds provided to a   prosecutor's office because of grant funds provided under this   section.          (g)  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 qualified prosecutor's office for a purpose authorized by this   section.          SECTION 2.  A qualified county or prosecutor's office, as   defined by Section 130.911, 130.912, or 130.913, Local Government   Code, as added by this Act, may not apply for a rural sheriff's   office salary assistance grant, rural constable's office salary   assistance grant, or rural prosecutor's office salary assistance   grant before January 1, 2024.          SECTION 3.  Not later than January 1, 2024, the comptroller   of public accounts shall comply with the requirements of Sections   130.911, 130.912, and 130.913, Local Government Code, as added by   this Act.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.               ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                 I hereby certify that S.B. No. 22 passed the Senate on   March 28, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0;   May 21, 2023, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and   requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 23, 2023, House   granted request of the Senate; May 28, 2023, Senate adopted   Conference Committee Report by the following vote:  Yeas 31,   Nays 0.       ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate                I hereby certify that S.B. No. 22 passed the House, with   amendments, on May 16, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 139,   Nays 0, one present not voting; May 23, 2023, House granted request   of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;   May 28, 2023, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the   following vote:  Yeas 140, Nays 0, two present not voting.       ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House            Approved:     ______________________________               Date       ______________________________              Governor