HB 2115
AN ACT relating to the rural sheriff's office, rural constable's office,
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Establishes minimum salary requirements for rural county law enforcement personnel, including sheriffs ($75,000), deputies making motor vehicle stops ($45,000), jailers ($40,000), and telecommunicators ($40,000). Counties can receive grants from the comptroller to help meet these salary minimums, with the requirement that counties contribute at least 25% of the additional funding needed, and can use the grants for salary increases, hiring additional staff, and purchasing vehicles and safety equipment. The grants aim to support and improve compensation and resources for rural law enforcement offices, with implementation beginning September 1, 2025.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to the rural sheriff's office, rural constable's office, and rural prosecutor's office salary assistance grant programs. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Sections 130.911(e) and (h), Local Government Code, are amended to read as follows: (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 (D) $40,000 for each telecommunicator, as defined by Section 1701.001, Occupations Code, employed by the (2) to increase the salary of a person described by (3) to hire additional deputies or staff for the (4) to purchase vehicles, firearms, and safety equipment for the sheriff's office. (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 (B) disbursement of grant money; and (A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to ensure compliance with this section, including a requirement that the county auditor or other appropriate county officer report to the comptroller's office on the disbursement and compliance; and (B) the return of grant money that was not used by a county for a purpose authorized by this section. SECTION 2. Sections 130.912(d) and (g), Local Government Code, are amended to read as follows: (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 25 [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 (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 (B) disbursement of grant money; and (A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to ensure compliance with this section, including a requirement that the county auditor or other appropriate county officer report to the comptroller's office on the disbursement and compliance; 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 SECTION 3. Section 130.913(g), Local Government Code, is (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 (B) disbursement of grant money; and (A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to ensure compliance with this section, including a requirement that the county auditor or other appropriate county officer report to the comptroller's office on the disbursement and compliance; and (B) the return of grant money that was not used by a qualified prosecutor's office for a purpose authorized by this SECTION 4. Sections 130.911(e) and 130.912(d), Local Government Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to the award of a grant to a county under the rural sheriff's office salary assistance grant program or rural constable's office salary assistance grant program during a fiscal year of the county that begins on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Bill Sponsors
Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.
Expert Lobbyists for This Bill
These lobbyists specialize in Law Enforcement and related subject areas.
Robert D. Miller
Haley Cornyn
Allen E. Blakemore
Michael J. Johnson
Vera Denise Rose
Gavin L. Massingill
Leslie Pardue
Fred Shannon
Sarah Hicks
Matthew Bentley
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the rural sheriff's office, rural constable's office,
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