Guillen Bill Runs Rural Officer Child Care Through The Governor

The text as introduced · 788 words

89R16203 SCF-F

By: Guillen
H.B. No. 5513

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the rural law enforcement child care grant program,

fund, and advisory committee.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by

adding Subchapter S to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER S. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE GRANT PROGRAM

Sec. 411.551. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Advisory committee" means the rural law

enforcement child care advisory committee established under

Section 411.555.

(2) "Fund" means the rural law enforcement child care

fund established under Section 411.553.

(3) "Program" means the rural law enforcement child

care grant program established under Section 411.552.

Sec. 411.552. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE GRANT

PROGRAM. (a) The department shall establish and administer the

rural law enforcement child care grant program to assist local law

enforcement officers in rural areas of this state with accessing

child care.

(b) The program must be designed to support rural law

enforcement officers and their families by:

(1) providing financial assistance for child care

costs incurred by rural law enforcement officers;

(2) ensuring rural law enforcement officers have

access to quality child care services;

(3) enhancing workforce stability in rural law

enforcement agencies; and

(4) strengthening community support systems for rural

law enforcement officers.

(c) The department shall develop policies and procedures to

administer the program by establishing:

(1) eligibility criteria for grant recipients;

(2) procedures for a rural law enforcement officer or

agency to apply for a grant; and

(3) guidance on grant amounts and reporting

requirements.

(d) The department may award a grant under the grant program

only in accordance with a contract between the department and the

grant recipient that includes provisions under which the department

is granted sufficient control to ensure the public purpose of

providing child-care assistance for rural law enforcement officers

is accomplished and this state receives the return benefit. The

department shall monitor and enforce the terms of the contract.

Sec. 411.553. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE FUND. (a)

The rural law enforcement child care fund is established as a

special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund

to be administered by the department.

(b) The fund consists of:

(1) money the legislature appropriates to the

department for deposit to the credit of the fund for purposes of

this subchapter;

(2) money received from the federal government for the

purposes of this subchapter;

(3) gifts, donations, and grants to the fund,

including federal grants;

(4) interest earned on the investment of money in the

fund; and

(5) money from any source designated for deposit into

the fund.

Sec. 411.554. REPORT. (a) The department annually shall

compile and submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, and

legislature a report describing:

(1) the number of grants awarded in the preceding

year;

(2) the geographic distribution of grant recipients in

this state;

(3) the impact of the program on law enforcement

officer retention;

(4) testimonials from law enforcement officers who

have benefited from a grant award; and

(5) recommendations for enhancements to the program.

(b) The department shall post on the department's publicly

accessible Internet website the report submitted under Subsection

(a).

Sec. 411.555. RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHILD CARE ADVISORY

COMMITTEE. (a) The department shall establish the rural law

enforcement child care advisory committee to provide

recommendations to the department on:

(1) funding priorities for the program;

(2) a process to review and approve grant

applications; and

(3) improvements to the program.

(b) The director in the director's discretion shall appoint

the following members to the advisory committee:

(1) a representative from one or more rural law

enforcement agencies;

(2) one or more experts on child care policy, as

determined by the director;

(3) one or more representatives from the Texas

Commission on Law Enforcement;

(4) one or more interested persons from rural

communities; and

(5) one representative from a law enforcement family

advocacy organization.

SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective

date of this Act, the public safety director of the Department of

Public Safety shall appoint members to the rural law enforcement

child care advisory committee, as required by Section 411.555,

Government Code, as added by this Act.

(b) Not later than June 1, 2026, the Department of Public

Safety shall adopt rules necessary to establish and implement the

grant program under Subchapter S, Chapter 411, Government Code, as

added by this Act.

SECTION 3. 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.