Austin’s Sales Tax Pays DPS To Police The Capitol

The text as introduced · 679 words

89R2005 JCG-F

By: Tepper
H.B. No. 470

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the responsibility for providing law enforcement and

public safety services in the Capitol Complex.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Texas Capitol Public

Safety Protection Act.

SECTION 2. Section 411.061(a), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) In this subchapter, "Capitol Complex" means the

following property that is located in Austin, Texas, to the extent

the property is owned by or under the control of the state:

(1) the area bounded on the north by the inside curb of

Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard, on the east by the outside curb

of Trinity Street, on the south by the outside curb of 10th Street,

and on the west by the outside curb of Lavaca Street;

(2) the William P. Clements State Office Building

located at 300 West 15th Street; [ and ]

(3) the area bounded on the north by the outside curb

of 10th Street as described in Subdivision (1), on the east by the

outside curb of Brazos Street, on the south by Lady Bird Lake, and

on the west by the outside curb of Colorado Street; and

(4) other locations [ under the jurisdiction of the

capitol police district ] as may be approved by the commission

[ director ].

SECTION 3. Section 411.062, Government Code, is amended by

amending Subsections (a), (d-1), and (f) and adding Subsection

(f-1) to read as follows:

(a) The department has primary responsibility for law

enforcement and security services within the boundaries of [ on ] the

Capitol Complex.

(d-1) The director shall adopt rules governing the use of

unmanned aircraft in the Capitol Complex. The rules adopted under

this subsection may:

(1) prohibit the use of unmanned aircraft in

designated areas of the Capitol Complex; or

(2) authorize limited use of unmanned aircraft in

designated areas of the Capitol Complex.

(f) The department and the City of Austin shall execute an

interlocal cooperation agreement that defines the respective

responsibilities of the department and the city for traffic and

parking enforcement , public safety, and general law enforcement

[ security ] in the Capitol Complex, including private property

within the boundaries of the complex. The city shall exercise the

responsibilities designated to it in the agreement subject to the

direction and supervision of the department.

(f-1) The agreement must include a formula for calculating

the department's annual cost of providing law enforcement and

public safety services in the Capitol Complex. Not later than the

30th business day after the last day of each state fiscal year, the

department shall use the formula to calculate the department's cost

for the preceding state fiscal year and report the cost to the

comptroller.

SECTION 4. Subchapter F, Chapter 321, Tax Code, is amended

by adding Section 321.5027 to read as follows:

Sec. 321.5027. DISTRIBUTION OF TRUST FUNDS FOR CERTAIN

SERVICES IN CAPITOL COMPLEX. Notwithstanding Section 321.502, the

comptroller may send to the City of Austin the city's share of taxes

collected by the comptroller under this chapter during a state

fiscal year only after the comptroller deducts the amount reported

to the comptroller by the Department of Public Safety under Section

411.062(f-1), Government Code, and credits that deducted amount to

the general revenue fund. Money credited to the general revenue

fund under this subsection may be appropriated only to the

Department of Public Safety.

SECTION 5. Not later than the 90th day after the effective

date of this Act, the Department of Public Safety and the City of

Austin shall amend the agreement required by Section 411.062,

Government Code, as amended by this Act, as necessary to comply with

this Act.

SECTION 6. 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.