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.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 370 (S.B. 22), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.