HB 2527 Summary

• Increases surcharge on court-authorized traffic diversion programs from $5 to $9, with $5 going to the judicial collection enhancement fund and $4 to the peace officer training equipment fund.

• Imposes a new $4 assessment on every civil traffic penalty and criminal motor vehicle violation fine/penalty, collected by courts and transmitted to the state treasurer for deposit in the peace officer training equipment fund.

• Establishes the peace officer training equipment fund administered by the state treasurer, consisting of monies from the surcharges and assessments, with funds used only for peace officer equipment and exempt from annual reversion to the general fund.

• Creates the peace officer training equipment fund advisory commission with 7 members (2 legislators, DPS director, and representatives from police and sheriff associations) to make annual recommendations on fund allocation.

• Appropriates $3.073 million in continuous appropriations for DPS employee overtime ($500,000), virtual firing ranges and training simulators ($2.3 million), simulator maintenance ($203,000), public safety announcements ($50,000), and supreme court programming costs ($20,000).