S.B. No. 2177 establishes a new grant program aimed at assisting local law enforcement agencies in solving violent and sexual offenses. The bill adds Section 772.00791 to the Government Code, which defines key terms such as "clearance by arrest," "clearance by exception," "clearance rate," "criminal justice division," "sexual offense," and "violent offense." The criminal justice division is tasked with administering the grant program, which includes setting eligibility criteria, application procedures, and guidelines for grant amounts. The funds from the grants can be utilized for hiring and training personnel, upgrading technology and equipment, and improving record management systems.

Additionally, law enforcement agencies that receive grants are required to report annually on their clearance rates for violent and sexual offenses, including the average duration between the offense and clearance. The criminal justice division will periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program and include findings in its biennial report. Importantly, the bill stipulates that receiving a grant cannot lead to a reduction in funding from governmental entities for the law enforcement agency. The act will take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote from both houses or on September 1, 2025, if that threshold is not met.

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