Bill Text: TX HB503 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Relating to the eligibility of certain counties to participate in the rural sheriff's office salary assistance grant program and the rural prosecutor's office salary assistance grant program.

Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 6-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2025-04-28 - Referred to Finance [HB503 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB503-Engrossed.html

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By: Tepper, Gerdes, Barry, Hickland, H.B. No. 503
Villalobos, et al.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the eligibility of certain counties to participate in
the rural sheriff's office salary assistance grant program and the
rural prosecutor's office salary assistance grant program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 130.911(a)(2), Local Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(2) "Qualified county" means a county with a
population of 400,000 [300,000] or less.
SECTION 2. Section 130.911(d), Local Government Code, is
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 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 less than 300,000; or
(4) $650,000 if the county has a population of 300,000
or more and 400,000 or less.
SECTION 3. Section 130.913(a)(2), Local Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(2) "Qualified prosecutor's office" means, in a
jurisdiction with a population of 400,000 [300,000] or less, the
office of a district attorney, criminal district attorney, or
county attorney with criminal prosecution duties.
SECTION 4. Sections 130.913(d) and (e), Local Government
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(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 less than 300,000; or
(4) $375,000 if the prosecutor's office's jurisdiction
has a population of 300,000 or more and 400,000 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, a paralegal, or a victim assistance coordinator
employed at the office; or
(2) to hire additional staff for the office.
SECTION 5. 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 September 1, 2025.