If a certified crime stoppers organization agrees with another certified crime stoppers organization to merge and form a multi-county or multi-jurisdictional (e.g., county and city) organization, the merged organization must apply for continuing certification, and the following procedures must be followed:
(1) The certified crime stoppers organizations that want to merge must have contiguous borders.
(2) The merging organizations must choose a name for the merged organization unless both organizations agree to operate under the name of one of the existing organizations.
(3) The merged organization must file the following documents with the director of the Council requesting certification under a new name (if applicable) and with the expanded geographic territory or jurisdiction:
(4) If the director of the Council determines that the merged organization meets all requirements within paragraphs (1) - (3) of this section, the merged organization will be presented to the Council for determination as to whether the merged organization meets the requirements for certification at the Council's next regularly scheduled meeting.
(5) Once the Council grants certification, the merged organization may merge or consolidate the separate rewards accounts of both organizations. The merged organization will also be eligible to apply to the relevant CSCDs to receive court fees under the provisions of Articles 37.073 and 42.152 and Chapter 42A, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
(6) The merged organization's "Excess Funds Accounts," as described in §414.010(d) of the Texas Government Code, may only be comprised of those funds that were previously in each individual organization's "Excess Funds Accounts."
(7) The certification is valid for a period of two years.
Source Note: The provisions of this §3.9017 adopted to be effective June 21, 2009, 34 TexReg 3929; amended to be effective July 11, 2010, 35 TexReg 5803; amended to be effective June 12, 2011, 36 TexReg 3407; amended to be effective July 1, 2012, 37 TexReg 4851; amended to be effective March 26, 2020, 45 TexReg 1975