Bill Text: TX HB4102 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Engrossed
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to establishing and funding a grant program for testing evidence collected in relation to sexual assaults or other sex offenses; authorizing voluntary contributions.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-1)
Status: (Passed) 2017-06-15 - Effective on 9/1/17 [HB4102 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB4102-Engrossed.html
Bill Title: Relating to establishing and funding a grant program for testing evidence collected in relation to sexual assaults or other sex offenses; authorizing voluntary contributions.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-1)
Status: (Passed) 2017-06-15 - Effective on 9/1/17 [HB4102 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB4102-Engrossed.html
85R22571 AJZ-D | ||
By: Neave, González of El Paso, Villalba, | H.B. No. 4102 | |
Minjarez, Blanco, et al. |
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relating to establishing and funding a grant program for testing | ||
evidence collected in relation to sexual assaults or other sex | ||
offenses; authorizing voluntary contributions. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, | ||
is amended by adding Section 502.414 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 502.414. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION FOR EVIDENCE TESTING | ||
GRANT PROGRAM. (a) When a person registers or renews the | ||
registration of a motor vehicle under this chapter, the person may | ||
contribute any amount to the evidence testing grant program | ||
established under Section 772.00715, Government Code. | ||
(b) The department shall provide, in a conspicuous manner, | ||
an opportunity to contribute to the evidence testing grant program | ||
in any registration renewal system used by the department. | ||
(c) If a person makes a contribution under this section and | ||
does not pay the full amount of a registration fee, the county | ||
assessor-collector may credit all or a portion of the contribution | ||
to the person's registration fee. | ||
(d) The county assessor-collector shall send any | ||
contribution made under this section to the comptroller for deposit | ||
to the credit of the evidence testing account established under | ||
Section 772.00716, Government Code, at least once every three | ||
months. Before sending the money to the comptroller, the | ||
department may deduct money equal to the amount of reasonable | ||
expenses for administering this section. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Sections 772.00715 and 772.00716 to read as | ||
follows: | ||
Sec. 772.00715. EVIDENCE TESTING GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In | ||
this section: | ||
(1) "Accredited crime laboratory" has the meaning | ||
assigned by Section 420.003. | ||
(2) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal | ||
justice division established under Section 772.006. | ||
(3) "Grant program" means the evidence testing grant | ||
program established under this section. | ||
(4) "Law enforcement agency" means: | ||
(A) the police department of a municipality; | ||
(B) the sheriff's office of a county; or | ||
(C) a constable's office of a county. | ||
(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and | ||
administer a grant program and shall disburse funds to assist law | ||
enforcement agencies or counties in testing evidence collected in | ||
relation to a sexual assault or other sex offense. | ||
(c) Grant funds may be used only for the testing by an | ||
accredited crime laboratory of evidence that was collected in | ||
relation to a sexual assault or other sex offense. | ||
(d) The criminal justice division: | ||
(1) may establish additional eligibility criteria for | ||
grant applicants; and | ||
(2) shall establish: | ||
(A) grant application procedures; | ||
(B) guidelines relating to grant amounts; and | ||
(C) criteria for evaluating grant applications. | ||
(e) The criminal justice division shall include in the | ||
biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) detailed | ||
reporting of the results and performance of the grant program. | ||
(f) The criminal justice division may use any revenue | ||
available to the division to fund the grant program. | ||
Sec. 772.00716. EVIDENCE TESTING ACCOUNT. (a) The | ||
evidence testing account is created as a dedicated account in the | ||
general revenue fund of the state treasury. | ||
(b) Money in the account may be appropriated only to the | ||
criminal justice division established under Section 772.006 for | ||
purposes of the evidence testing grant program established under | ||
Section 772.00715. | ||
(c) Funds distributed under Section 772.00715 are subject | ||
to audit by the comptroller. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |