Legislation Details

File #: 25-6019    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Grant Status: Passed
File created: 9/10/2025 In control: Commissioners Court
On agenda: 9/18/2025 Final action: 9/18/2025
Title: Request by the District Courts for approval to accept from the Supreme Court of Texas grant funds in the amount of $106,550 with no required match, for the FY26 Multi-District Litigation (MDL) Court program.

Primary Department: District Courts

Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Richard Woods

 

Secondary Department: Choose an item.

Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:

 

Regular or Supplemental RCA: Supplemental RCA

 

Type of Request: Grant - Award

 

Project ID (if applicable): 201-26-00001

Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): The Supreme Court of Texas

 

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 Courts for approval to accept from the Supreme Court of Texas grant funds in the amount of $106,550 with no required match, for the FY26 Multi-District Litigation (MDL) Court program.

end

 

Background and Discussion:

These grants are awarded to support MDL pre-trial judges and the court staff who serve them. These programs enable the MDL system to operate more efficiently and achieve the Legislature’s goals of justice and efficiency (see TEX.Gov’t Code 74.162).

 

Expected Impact:

The County will be reimbursed by the grantor for the program expenses incurred, there is no cash match requirement and therefore no impact on the general fund.

 

Alternative Options:

There is no general fund budget for this program.  In the event the grant is not funded, the program would have to seek alternate sources of funding.

 

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

County Strategic Plan Objective: E: Increase efficiency across the legal system.

Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1):   Choose an item.

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

07-10-25

263

Approval to Apply for Grant

08-26-25

247

Approval to transfer general funds

 

Location:

Address (if applicable):

Precinct(s): Countywide

 

Fiscal and Personnel Summary

Service Name

MDL Court

 

 

Current Fiscal Year Cost

Annual Fiscal Cost

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

Recurring Expenses

Funding Sources

 

Existing Budget

 

 

 

 

Grant

$

$

$

$

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.

$

$

$

5

Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request:

Choose an item.

$0

$0

$0

 

Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total)

$104,769.43

$1,780.57

$106,550

Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs)

 

Current Position Count for Service

-

-

-

-

Additional Positions Request

-

-

-

-

Total Personnel

-

-

-

-

 

Anticipated Court Date: 9/18/2025

 

Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.

 

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

 

Contact(s) name, title, department: Richard Woods, Court Administrator

 

Attachments (if applicable): Court Order, Resolution, Grant Award Notification Letter, Grant Award Statement