88R5710 MP-F     By: Sherman, Sr. H.B. No. 1354       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the salaries of members of certain municipal police   departments and to state assistance payments to offset the cost of   those salaries.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 141, Local Government Code, is amended   by adding Subchapter C to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER C. MINIMUM SALARY OF POLICE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS IN   CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES          Sec. 141.051.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter,   "dishonorably discharged" has the meaning assigned by Section   1701.452, Occupations Code.          Sec. 141.052.  APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only   to a municipality with a population of 5,000 or less.          Sec. 141.053.  MINIMUM SALARY; ELIGIBILITY.  (a)     Notwithstanding any other law, the governing body of a municipality   shall provide for each municipal fiscal year a salary of at least   $55,000 to each eligible member of the police department.          (b)  To be eligible for the minimum salary under this   section, a member of the police department must:                (1)  be a full-time employee; and                (2)  annually file with the municipality an affidavit   in the form and manner prescribed by the municipality stating that   the member:                      (A)  has never been dishonorably discharged by any   law enforcement agency; and                      (B)  is not currently under investigation for   alleged misconduct for which the member may be dishonorably   discharged.          Sec. 141.054.  STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PAY MINIMUM   SALARIES. (a)  To serve the state purpose of ensuring professional   law enforcement throughout the state, a municipality is entitled to   an assistance payment from the state for each municipal fiscal year   to assist the municipality in paying the minimum salary required by   Section 141.053 for each eligible member of the police department   in the municipality.  A municipality is entitled to the assistance   payment in an amount that equals the difference of $55,000 and the   member's salary as paid by the municipality.          (b)  The governing body of the municipality may not reduce   the portion of a salary paid to a member of the police department by   the municipality as a result of receiving an assistance payment for   that member.          (c)  Not later than the 30th day after the first day of a   municipality's fiscal year, the municipality must submit an   application to the comptroller in the form and manner prescribed by   comptroller rule to receive the assistance payment.  The   application must include an affidavit described by Section   141.053(b)(2) for each member of the police department in the   municipality for whom the municipality is applying for an   assistance payment.          (d)  The comptroller shall remit the applicable assistance   payment to which a municipality is entitled from available state   money not later than the 30th day after the date the comptroller   receives the municipality's completed application for the   assistance payment.          (e)  The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to   implement this section.          SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   a municipal fiscal year that begins on or after January 1, 2024.          SECTION 3.  Not later than January 1, 2024, the comptroller   of public accounts shall adopt rules as required by Section   141.054(e), Local Government Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.