REP. LEMAN FILES BILL TO IDENTIFY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHO DEFUND POLICE

  

State Representative Ben Leman has filed legislation to allow the state to identify local governments that reduce the funding or personnel of law enforcement agencies.

Filed on Monday, House Bill 3151 is one of a series of bills filed by other legislators, and amends Local Government Code to define when a local government defunds the police.

According to the bill, a local law enforcement agency would be considered defunded if the local government adopts a budget for a fiscal year that is reduced from the previous year, which results in a reduction in the appropriation to the local government’s law enforcement agency, the number of peace officers employed, compensation for overtime, or funding for the recruitment and training of new law enforcement officers.

The bill says a final determination would be made by the criminal justice division of the governor’s office.

Leman said local governments cannot be allowed to “forcibly put our citizens in harm’s way by defunding law enforcement.”  He said this bill would “create a clear definition to identify which local governments are reducing their police force and putting our citizens at danger.”

Governor Greg Abbott thanked Leman for drafting this legislation, saying, “Texas will always back the blue and support law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.”