HBA-CMT, KDB H.B. 726 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 726 By: Turner, Bob Corrections 3/25/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Past legislation provided statutory recognition to the criminal justice division, set forth its responsibilities, and included various provisions related to the administration of grants. One of the grant provisions in the Government Code requires that the costs of programs and projects funded to local general purpose units of government be assumed over a period of five years out of local revenues. The criminal justice division makes grants to state agencies, units of local government, school districts, nonprofit corporations, crime control and prevention districts, and faith-based organizations, but only local general purpose units of government are limited to the provision of the Government Code that the costs of programs and projects funded be assumed over a five year period out of local revenues. House Bill 726 places local general purpose units of government on an equal basis with all other applicants when applying for and receiving criminal justice funds. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 726 amends the Government Code to provide that the governor establish procedures and policies that require regional criminal justice advisory committees to recommend and the criminal justice division in the governor's office to approve the duration of projects, the eligibility of projects for renewal, and, where appropriate, a schedule for the applicant's assumption of the costs of the project. H.B. 726 removes language that provides that the governor establish procedures and policies that require that the costs of programs and projects funded to local general purpose units of government be assumed over a period of five years out of local revenues. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.