Relating to the repeal of a provision governing the operation of jail commissaries in certain counties.

Contracts

Vendors holding active Master Services Agreements (MSAs) in Tarrant or Dallas counties must audit their agreements immediately.

• Citation Updates: Any contract referencing Section 351.04155 as the governing authority is legally obsolete as of September 1.
• Signatory Authority: Future contract renewals or amendments will likely require the Sheriff’s signature rather than, or in addition to, the County Judge, depending on local interpretation of the general statute.
• Termination Risk: Counties may utilize this "Change in Law" to terminate for convenience or force renegotiation of vendor terms.

Hiring/Training

• Sales & Account Management: Retrain account executives assigned to these territories. They must redirect relationship-management efforts from County Purchasing Agents/Commissioners directly to the Sheriff’s executive command staff.
• Compliance Staff: Staff must familiarize themselves with the reporting standards of Local Government Code Section 351.0415, which differs from the repealed section.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Fund Segregation: The general statute mandates that the Sheriff has exclusive control of commissary funds. Vendors must ensure invoicing and remittance processes flow directly to the Sheriff’s designated accounts, not general county funds, to avoid commingling assets.
• Audit Trails: Prepare to shift reporting formats. The specific oversight reports previously required for the Commissioners Court are no longer statutory; however, the Sheriff must still report to the County Auditor. Align your data exports with the Sheriff’s preferred format.

Fees & Costs

• No Statutory Fee Change: The bill does not mandate a change in commissary pricing caps.
• Operational Costs: Expect potential administrative costs associated with renegotiating contracts and updating billing codes to align with Sheriff-controlled accounts.