Texas Gov. Abbott Introduces New Rules To Stop ‘Defund The Police’ In Big Cities

On Monday, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott introduced new rules that would stop big Texas cities from defunding police.

It’s taken quite some time to get the new administrative rules in place, as the law that paved the way for them was signed last July. 

These new rules went into effect immediately.

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Gov. Abbott: ‘Texas remains a law-and-order state and we continue to make it abundantly clear that we support our law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line’

The governor’s in a statement on Monday laid out the penalties cities will face if they defund their police: 

• The city will be subject to tax rate limitations, 
• The city will lose access to certain tax revenues
• The city will be subject to other budgetary requirements and limitations.

However, the rules state that this applies only to cities with a population greater than 250,000 residents – accounting only for Texas’ 12 largest cities.

“When the city demonstrates it has reversed the reductions, PSO (The Texas Public Safety Office) may reverse its defunding determination and the city will no longer be subject to those limitations, reductions, and requirements—unless it defunds its police again,” the statement said.

The governor made it “abundantly clear” that he and Texas support the police.

Abbott said. “Texas remains a law-and-order state and we continue to make it abundantly clear that we support our law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep communities safe.”

“My office’s adoption of these new rules will prevent cities from making reckless and downright dangerous decisions to defund the police, ensuring a safer future for Texans all across the Lone Star State,” the governor added.

In May, Abbott previously celebrated the bill’s passage in the Texas House on social media. 

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Response To Defund

The Texas Tribune reports that the capital city of Austin voted to cut a third of the police budget:

Last August, the Austin City Council voted to cut and reallocate a third of its police department’s then-$434 million budget. Some of the money was redirected to violence prevention and food access programs, while other funds were reduced so duties like forensic sciences and victims’ services could be moved to other departments.