Bill > HB470

This bill, called the Texas Capitol Public Safety Protection Act, expands the definition of the Capitol Complex to include additional areas in Austin, Texas, and modifies law enforcement responsibilities in this zone. The bill gives the Department of Public Safety (DPS) primary law enforcement authority within the Capitol Complex, which now includes an expanded geographical area beyond the previous boundaries. It requires DPS and the City of Austin to execute an interlocal cooperation agreement that defines their respective responsibilities for traffic, parking, public safety, and law enforcement, with the city operating under DPS's direction and supervision. The bill also mandates that DPS calculate and report its annual law enforcement costs for the Capitol Complex to the comptroller. Furthermore, the bill establishes a mechanism where the comptroller will deduct the reported law enforcement costs from taxes typically distributed to the City of Austin, with those funds being credited to the general revenue fund and potentially appropriated only to DPS. The legislation requires the DPS and Austin to amend their existing agreement within 90 days of the act's effective date, which will be either immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote in the Texas Legislature or on September 1, 2025, if that threshold is not met.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB470