School Police Accreditation Bill Picks Two Private Accreditors By Name

The text as introduced · 845 words

89R10708 CJD-D

By: King
S.B. No. 1329

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to school district police department accreditation,

including a grant program to assist departments in becoming

accredited.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 403.0303 to read as follows:

Sec. 403.0303. SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE DEPARTMENT

ACCREDITATION GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The comptroller shall establish

and administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to a

school district police department in this state for purposes of

becoming accredited as required by the rules adopted under Section

1701.171, Occupations Code.

(b) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a

school district police department must have executed a contract

with an accrediting entity described by Section 1701.171(a),

Occupations Code, and complete an initial assessment by the

accrediting entity.

(c) Based on the results of the initial assessment completed

under Subsection (b), a school district police department may

request grant funds for reimbursement of an accreditation fee,

staff overtime, or temporary staffing necessary to become

accredited.

(d) Grant money provided under this section may only be used

by a school district police department for the purposes of becoming

accredited. A school district police department may not receive

more than one grant under this section.

(e) The amount of a grant awarded under this section may not

exceed $30,000.

(f) The comptroller shall establish:

(1) eligibility criteria for grant applicants;

(2) grant application procedures;

(3) guidelines relating to grant amounts;

(4) procedures for evaluating grant applications;

(5) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant

awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any

conditions of a grant; and

(6) procedures for revoking a grant awarded under the

program if the school district police department is not accredited

within the period specified by the rules adopted under Section

1701.171, Occupations Code.

(g) Not later than December 1 of each year, the comptroller

shall submit to the Legislative Budget Board a report that provides

the following information for the preceding state fiscal year:

(1) the name of each school district police department

that applied for a grant under this section; and

(2) the amount of money distributed to each school

district police department that received a grant under this

section.

(h) The comptroller may use any revenue available for

purposes of this section.

(i) Notwithstanding any other law or rule, beginning

September 1, 2031, a school district police department must be

accredited as provided by the rules adopted under Section 1701.171,

Occupations Code, to be eligible to receive any grant supporting

law enforcement operations or equipment acquisition administered

by the comptroller other than a grant under this section.

SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is

amended by adding Section 1701.171 to read as follows:

Sec. 1701.171. SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE DEPARTMENT

ACCREDITATION. (a) The commission shall adopt rules requiring

each school district police department to become accredited and

maintain accreditation:

(1) through the Texas Police Chiefs Association Law

Enforcement Agency Best Practices Accreditation Program;

(2) by the Commission on Accreditation for Law

Enforcement Agencies, Inc.; or

(3) by an association or organization designated by

the commission as provided by Subsection (d).

(b) The rules adopted under Subsection (a) must require a

school district police department that is not already accredited

to:

(1) execute a contract with an approved accrediting

entity not later than September 1, 2029; and

(2) become accredited not later than September 1,

2031.

(c) The commission shall implement a program to assist

school district police departments in becoming accredited as

required by the rules adopted under Subsection (a).

(d) The commission shall periodically review associations

and organizations that establish standards of practice for school

district police departments and that offer accreditation to

departments that meet those standards. On a majority vote of the

commission that accreditation of school district police

departments in this state by an association or organization would

benefit public safety, the commission may designate the association

or organization as an accrediting entity for purposes of Subsection

(a)(3).

(e) A school district police department shall annually

report the department's accreditation status, including the

applicable accrediting entity described by Subsection (a), to the

commission.

(f) The commission shall post on the commission's Internet

website a list of all school district police departments that are

currently accredited by, or under contract with, an accrediting

entity described by Subsection (a).

SECTION 3. (a) Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas

Commission on Law Enforcement shall adopt the rules required by

Section 1701.171, Occupations Code, as added by this Act.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2026, the comptroller shall

establish the grant program required by Section 403.0303,

Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 4. 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.