TITLE: Relating to a grant program to provide salary assistance for judicial and court personnel in rural counties.

SUMMARY: Relating to a grant program to provide salary assistance for judicial and court personnel in rural counties.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to a grant program to provide salary assistance for judicial and court personnel in rural counties. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 130, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Section 130.914 to read as follows: Sec. 130.914. RURAL JUDICIAL AND COURT PERSONNEL SALARY ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this section: (1) "Grant" means a grant the comptroller awards under the rural judicial and court personnel salary assistance grant program established by this section. (2) "Qualified county" means a county with a population of 300,000 or less. (3) "Office" means the Office of Court Administration. (b) The comptroller in collaboration with the Office shall establish and administer the rural judicial and court personnel salary assistance grant program to support the state purpose of ensuring courts operate effectively and efficiently across this state by providing funds for salary assistance and retention incentives for judicial and court personnel 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 a grant application to the comptroller. A county may submit only one grant application each fiscal year. (d) The comptroller and the Office shall determine whether to award a grant to a qualified county applicant. (e) The comptroller in collaboration with the Office shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section, including rules to establish: (1) a standardized application process, including the grant application form and the manner of submitting the form; (2) deadlines for: (A) applying for the grant; (B) disbursing grant money; and (C) spending grant money; and (3) procedures for: (A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to ensure compliance with this section; and (B) the return of grant money a county uses for a purpose not authorized by this section. SECTION 2. A qualified county, as defined by Section 130.914, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, may not apply for a rural judicial and court personnel salary assistance grant before January 1, 2026. SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2026, the comptroller of public accounts shall comply with the requirements of Section 130.914, Local Government Code, as added by this Act. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.