SB2177

Regular Session

Relating to the creation of a grant program to assist local law enforcement agencies in solving violent and sexual offenses.

ModeratePlan for compliance

Low Cost

Effective:2025-09-01

Enforcing Agencies

Criminal Justice Division (Office of the Governor)

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

Effective Date: September 1, 2025 (pending final vote count; defaults to this date without 2/3 majority).
Compliance Deadline: Compliance is triggered upon receipt of grant funds. Agencies must be operationally ready to track mandated metrics by Q1 2026 to remain eligible for the first funding cycle.
Agency Rulemaking: The CJD must establish eligibility criteria and application protocols prior to releasing funds. Expect a "regulatory gray zone" between September 2025 and the release of the first Request for Applications (RFA), likely in late 2025 or early 2026.

Immediate Action Plan

1. Audit RMS Capabilities: Immediately verify if your current software can generate reports separating clearance types and calculating "time-to-clear" durations.
2. Prepare "Shovel-Ready" Projects: Draft proposals for forensic backlogs and technology upgrades now so you can apply immediately when the RFA opens (funds may be first-come, first-served).
3. Establish Financial Firewalls: Finance departments must create specific cost centers to ensure grant funds are not used to supplant local budget lines.
4. Define "Exception" Protocols: Issue an internal directive standardizing the evidentiary requirements for closing a case via "Clearance by Exception" to ensure data integrity.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

RMS Vendors: Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) must review Master Services Agreements (MSAs) with Record Management System providers. If current software cannot segment "Clearance by Arrest" from "Clearance by Exception," contract addendums for immediate upgrades are required.
Forensic Labs: Outsourced forensic contracts should be renegotiated to include Service Level Agreements (SLAs) regarding processing times, as "duration between offense and clearance" is now a reportable metric.
Employment Agreements: Offer letters for personnel hired via this grant must explicitly state that employment is coterminous with grant funding to mitigate wrongful termination liability if the grant is not renewed.

Hiring/Training

Investigative Staff: Detectives must be retrained on the statutory definition of "Clearance by Exception" (Section 1(a)(2)). Misclassification of these cases is a primary audit risk.
Finance Officers: Staff must be trained on strict fund segregation. Grant funds cannot be commingled with the general fund.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

New Metrics: Systems must automatically track and report:
1. Clearance rates separated by "Arrest" vs. "Exception."
2. Average number of days from Offense Date to Clearance Date.
3. Percentage of funds allocated to personnel, technology, and records management.
Annual Performance Report: Grant recipients must file a detailed performance report annually with the CJD.

Fees & Costs

Anti-Supplanting Rule: Municipalities cannot reduce the local funds provided to an LEA because of this grant. This prevents using the grant to balance municipal budget deficits.
Administrative Overhead: While the grant covers operational costs, the administrative burden of the new reporting requirements must be absorbed by the agency.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

"Clearance by Exception" Thresholds: The statute defines this as having a suspect identified but being barred from arrest by "factors beyond control." The CJD has not yet defined the evidentiary standard for these "factors." Loose interpretation invites audit failure; strict interpretation lowers clearance stats.
Funding Availability: The total appropriation is currently "indeterminate." Agencies should not budget for these funds until award letters are received.
Evaluation Criteria: It is unclear if future funding rounds will be performance-based (tied to *improving* clearance rates) or needs-based.

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Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

TopicsCrimes Crimes--against Persons Crimes--against Persons--sexual Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure--general Law Enforcement State Finances State Finances--management & Control Criminal Justice Division, Governor's Office Crimes--juvenile Minors Minors--juvenile Justice Sexual Assault

Official Analysis

View HRO Analysis View All Bill Documents

BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2177
89R7064 CJD-F	By: Hagenbuch
	Criminal Justice
	4/25/2025
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 2177 proposes the creation of a state-administered grant program designed to assist local law enforcement agencies in improving clearance rates for violent and sexual offenses. It addresses a critical and specific problem in Texas: the persistently low clearance rates for crimes such as murder, aggravated assault, and sexual assault�offenses that profoundly impact victims, families, and communities.

Current law does not provide a dedicated, statewide funding mechanism to help local agencies improve their capacity to investigate and solve violent or sexual crimes. Many departments, particularly those in smaller or under-resourced jurisdictions, lack the specialized personnel, forensic tools, and technological infrastructure needed to conduct thorough investigations and process evidence efficiently. This contributes to delays and unresolved cases, eroding public trust and potentially allowing perpetrators to reoffend. S.B. 2177 creates Section 772.00791 of the Government Code and authorizes the Criminal Justice Division to administer grants to qualifying law enforcement agencies. These grants are targeted specifically to enhance investigative capabilities for the most serious crimes, including murder, capital murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated robbery, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, and indecency with a child.

This bill distinguishes itself from existing law by establishing comprehensive support not only for investigative personnel but also for technology upgrades, forensic processing, and crime analysis efforts. Importantly, it mandates detailed annual reporting from grant recipients, including data on clearance rates, average time to case resolution, and how funds were used. This builds accountability and helps identify best practices that can be shared statewide. It also protects the intent of the grants by prohibiting any reduction in local funding as a result of receiving state support.

As proposed, S.B. 2177 amends current law relating to the creation of a grant program to assist local law enforcement agencies in solving violent and sexual offenses.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, by adding Section 772.00791, as follows:

Sec. 772.00791. GRANT PROGRAM TO ASSIST LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOLVING VIOLENT AND SEXUAL OFFENSES. (a) Defines "clearance by arrest," "clearance by exception," "clearance rate," "criminal justice division," "sexual offense," and "violent offense."

(b) Provides that this section applies only to a law enforcement agency employing one or more peace officers described by Article 2A.001(1) (relating to a sheriff, a sheriff's deputy, or a reserve deputy sheriff who holds a permanent peace officer license) or (3) (relating to a marshal or police officer of a municipality or a reserve municipal police officer who holds a permanent peace officer license), Code of Criminal Procedure.

(c) Requires the governor's criminal justice division (division) to establish and administer a grant program through which a law enforcement agency is authorized to apply for a grant designed to improve clearance rates for violent and sexual offenses.

(d) Requires the criminal justice division to establish eligibility criteria for grant applications, grant application procedures, guidelines relating to grant amounts, and procedures for evaluating grant applications.

(e) Authorizes grant money awarded under this section to be used to pay for hiring, training, and retaining personnel to complete certain tasks; acquiring, upgrading, or replacing technology or equipment related to evidence collection, evidence processing, or forensic testing; and upgrading record management systems to achieve compliance with the reporting requirements under Subsection (f).

(f) Requires a law enforcement agency that receives a grant awarded under the program annually to report the clearance rate and the percentage of the clearance rate that is clearance by arrest and the percentage that is clearance by exception for violent offenses, sexual offenses, and each offense listed in Subsection (a)(5) (relating to defining "sexual offense") or (6) (relating to defining "violent offense"), the average duration between the date of the offense and the date of clearance for violent offenses, sexual offenses, and each offense listed in Subsection (a)(5) or (6), and the percentage of the grant amount used for each authorized use listed in Subsection (e).

(g) Requires the division to periodically evaluate the practices employed by grant recipients to identify policies and procedures that have successfully improved clearance rates for violent and sexual offenses. Authorizes the division to contract with a third party to conduct an evaluation under this subsection.

(h) Requires the division to include in the biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) (relating to a biennial report submitted by the division to the legislature reporting the division's activities during the preceding biennium) a detailed reporting of the results and performance of the grant program administered under this section.

(i) Prohibits a governmental entity from reducing the amount of funds provided to a law enforcement agency because the agency received a grant under this section.

(j) Authorizes the division to use any revenue available for purposes of this section.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.

Senate Authors

Sen. Brent HagenbuchRepublican · Primary Author

House Sponsors

Rep. Mitch LittleRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Cosponsors (1)

Phil King (R)

Bill Text(with markup)

S.B. No. 2177

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

	AN ACT
	relating to the creation of a grant program to assist local law
	enforcement agencies in solving violent and sexual offenses.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 772.00791 to read as follows:
	Sec. 772.00791. GRANT PROGRAM TO ASSIST LOCAL LAW
	ENFORCEMENT IN SOLVING VIOLENT AND SEXUAL OFFENSES. (a) In this
	section:
	(1) "Clearance by arrest" means that, with respect to
	an offense reported to a law enforcement agency, the agency:
	(A) has:
	(i) arrested and charged at least one
	suspect with the commission of the offense; and
	(ii) turned the suspect over to the court
	for prosecution; or
	(B) has cited an individual younger than 18 years
	of age and required the individual to appear in juvenile court or
	before another juvenile authority with respect to the offense,
	regardless of whether an arrest occurred.
	(2) "Clearance by exception" means that, with respect
	to an offense reported to a law enforcement agency, the agency:
	(A) has confirmed the suspect's identity;
	(B) has sufficient evidence for arrest;
	(C) knows the suspect's specific location; and
	(D) has encountered factors beyond law
	enforcement control that hinder the arrest, charging, and
	prosecution of the suspect.
	(3) "Clearance rate" means, with respect to an offense
	or category of offense reported to a law enforcement agency, a
	fraction:
	(A) the numerator of which is the number of
	offenses cleared by the agency through clearance by arrest and
	clearance by exception; and
	(B) the denominator of which is the total number
	of offenses reported to the agency.
	(4) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal
	justice division established under Section 772.006.
	(5) "Sexual offense" means an offense under any of the
	following provisions of the Penal Code:
	(A) Section 21.11 (indecency with a child);
	(B) Section 22.011 (sexual assault); or
	(C) Section 22.021 (aggravated sexual assault).
	(6) "Violent offense" means an offense under any of
	the following provisions of the Penal Code:
	(A) Section 19.02 (murder);
	(B) Section 19.03 (capital murder);
	(C) Section 20.04 (aggravated kidnapping);
	(D) Section 22.02(a)(2) (aggravated assault with
	a deadly weapon); or
	(E) Section 29.03 (aggravated robbery).
	(b) This section applies only to a law enforcement agency
	employing one or more peace officers described by Article 2A.001(1)
	or (3), Code of Criminal Procedure.
	(c) The criminal justice division shall establish and
	administer a grant program through which a law enforcement agency
	may apply for a grant designed to improve clearance rates for
	violent and sexual offenses.
	(d) The criminal justice division shall establish:
	(1) eligibility criteria for grant applications;
	(2) grant application procedures;
	(3) guidelines relating to grant amounts; and
	(4) procedures for evaluating grant applications.
	(e) Grant money awarded under this section may be used to
	pay for:
	(1) hiring, training, and retaining personnel to:
	(A) investigate violent and sexual offenses;
	(B) collect, process, and forensically test
	evidence; or
	(C) analyze violent and sexual offenses,
	including temporal and geographical trends;
	(2) acquiring, upgrading, or replacing technology or
	equipment related to evidence collection, evidence processing, or
	forensic testing; and
	(3) upgrading record management systems to achieve
	compliance with the reporting requirements under Subsection (f).
	(f) A law enforcement agency that receives a grant awarded
	under the program annually shall report:
	(1) the clearance rate and the percentage of the
	clearance rate that is clearance by arrest and the percentage that
	is clearance by exception for:
	(A) violent offenses;
	(B) sexual offenses; and
	(C) each offense listed in Subsection (a)(5) or
	(6);
	(2) the average duration between the date of the
	offense and the date of clearance for:
	(A) violent offenses;
	(B) sexual offenses; and
	(C) each offense listed in Subsection (a)(5) or
	(6); and
	(3) the percentage of the grant amount used for each
	authorized use listed in Subsection (e).
	(g) The criminal justice division shall periodically
	evaluate the practices employed by grant recipients to identify
	policies and procedures that have successfully improved clearance
	rates for violent and sexual offenses. The division may contract
	with a third party to conduct an evaluation under this subsection.
	(h) The criminal justice division shall include in the
	biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) a detailed
	reporting of the results and performance of the grant program
	administered under this section.
	(i) A governmental entity may not reduce the amount of funds
	provided to a law enforcement agency because the agency received a
	grant under this section.
	(j) The criminal justice division may use any revenue
	available for purposes of this section.
	SECTION 2. 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.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


April 28, 2025

TO:	Honorable Pete Flores, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice

FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	SB2177 by Hagenbuch (Relating to the creation of a grant program to assist local law enforcement agencies in solving violent and sexual offenses.), As Introduced

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time. There would be an indeterminate cost related to the grant program authorized by the bill which would be dependent on the number of grant applications and appropriations made for this purpose.

The bill would amend the Government Code to establish the Grant Program to Assist Local Law Enforcement in Solving Violent and Sexual Offenses. The program would be administered by the Criminal Justice Division within the Office of the Governor (OOG). The bill would establish certain allowable uses of any grant funding awarded. A law enforcement agency that received a grant award would provide annual reporting of certain information to the OOG. The OOG would include a reporting of the results and performance of the grant program as part of the annual report submitted by the OOG pursuant to Government Code Section 772.006(a)(9).

It is assumed that any administrative costs associated with the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

300 Trusteed Programs Within the Office of the Governor

LBB Staff:

JMc, MGol, LCO, KCu, NV

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SB2177

What does Texas SB2177 do?

SB2177 establishes a state grant program administered by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division (CJD) to fund law enforcement efforts in solving violent and sexual offenses. While this provides capital for personnel and technology, it imposes rigid data reporting standards regarding "clearance rates" and strictly prohibits using grant funds to replace existing local budget allocations (anti-supplanting). Implementation Timeline Effective Date: September 1, 2025 (pending final vote count; defaults to this date without 2/3 majority).

Who authored SB2177?

SB2177 was authored by Texas Senator Brent Hagenbuch during the Regular Session.

When was SB2177 signed into law?

SB2177 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Which agencies enforce SB2177?

SB2177 is enforced by Criminal Justice Division (Office of the Governor).

How urgent is compliance with SB2177?

The compliance urgency for SB2177 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.

What is the cost impact of SB2177?

The cost impact of SB2177 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

What topics does SB2177 address?

SB2177 addresses topics including crimes, crimes--against persons, crimes--against persons--sexual, criminal procedure and criminal procedure--general.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025

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