H.B. No. 3253 amends the Local Government Code to enhance the rural constable's office salary assistance grant program. The bill specifies that the comptroller will award grants to qualified counties based on their population size, with amounts set at $75,000 for counties with populations under 10,000, $100,000 for those between 10,000 and 50,000, and $150,000 for counties with populations between 50,000 and 300,000. Notably, the requirement for counties to contribute at least 75% of the salary for constables to qualify for the grant has been removed.

Additionally, the bill outlines how awarded grant funds must be utilized, including providing a minimum annual salary of $65,000 for constables and $45,000 for deputy constables who perform motor vehicle stops. It also allows for salary increases, hiring additional staff, and purchasing necessary equipment. A new provision prohibits counties from using grant money for any purpose other than meeting the minimum salary requirements until those requirements are fulfilled. The bill also mandates the comptroller to establish rules for the application process and monitoring of grant disbursements.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Local Government Code 130.912 (Local Government Code 130)
House Committee Report: Local Government Code 130.912 (Local Government Code 130)