Legislation Details

File #: 26-0692    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Grant Status: Passed
File created: 1/15/2026 In control: Commissioners Court
On agenda: 1/29/2026 Final action: 1/29/2026
Title: Request by the District Attorney for approval to submit an application to the Texas Office of the Governor/Criminal Justice Division for grant funds in the amount of $330,000, with no required match, for the FY27 District Attorney Testing of Forensic Evidence Grant Program.
Attachments: 1. FY27 Testing Forensic Evidence_Backup.pdf

Primary Department: District Attorney

Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Sean Teare, District Attorney

 

Secondary Department: N/A

Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:

 

Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA

Type of Request: Grant - Application

 

Project ID (if applicable): 5434102

Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Texas Office of the Governor/Criminal Justice Division

 

MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):

MWBE Current Participation (if applicable):

Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal:  N/A - Goal not applicable to request

 

Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): 0%

Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Grantor does not allow indirect cost capture

 

Request Summary (Agenda Caption):

title

Request by the District Attorney for approval to submit an application to the Texas Office of the Governor/Criminal Justice Division for grant funds in the amount of $330,000, with no required match, for the FY27 District Attorney Testing of Forensic Evidence Grant Program.

end

 

Background and Discussion:

The purpose of this announcement is to solicit applications from district attorney offices for cost associated with forensic analysis of physical evidence or from local law enforcement, district, attorneys, medical examiners, and coroners’ offices for cost associated with forensic genetic genealogical DNA analysis. The District Attorney seeks grant funds in the amount of $330,000 for the grant period beginning September 1, 2026 and ending August 31, 2027.

 

Expected Impact:

This grant will fund software programs to unlock cellphones involved in criminal cases in the Digital Forensic Unit in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

 

Alternative Options:

This is a crucial funding source for the Digital Forensic Unit. Without it, they would be unable to perform crucial functions for the county’s criminal cases.

 

County Strategic Plan Goal:  1. Make Harris County safer and more just.

County Strategic Plan Objective: Choose an item.

Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1):  E1: Modernize data and technology architecture across the legal system.

Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2):  Choose an item.

Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.

Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.

Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.

Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.

 

Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:

 

Prior Court Action (if any):

Date

Agenda Item #

Action Taken

 

 

 

 

Location:

Address (if applicable):

Precinct(s): Choose an item.

 

Fiscal and Personnel Summary

Service Name

FY27 District Attorney Testing of Forensic Evidence Grant

 

 

Current Fiscal Year Cost

Annual Fiscal Cost

 

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

Recurring Expenses

Funding Sources

 

Existing Budget

 

 

 

 

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Total Existing Budget

$

$

$

$

Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form)

 

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Total Additional Budget Request

$

$

$

$

Total Funding Sources

$

$

$

$

Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only)

 

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

No. of Grant Years

Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item.

$

$

$

1

Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item.

$

$

$

 

Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total)

$

$330,000

$330,000

 

Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s)

 

Current Position Count for Service

-

-

-

-

Additional Positions Request

-

-

-

-

Total Personnel

-

-

-

-

 

County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only)

CAO Reviewer Name and Title

 

CAO Review Completion Date

Click or tap to enter a date.

 

Anticipated Court Date: 1/29/2026

 

Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 10/1/2026

 

Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item

 

Contact(s) name, title, department: Kevin Le, Finance Assistant Director, District Attorney’s Office

 

Attachments (if applicable): Notice of Funding Opportunity, Resolution, Signatory Authorization