1. (a) If a geographic territory or jurisdiction wants to join an existing certified crime stoppers organization, the following procedures must be followed:

   1. (1) The county or city must share contiguous borders with the certified crime stoppers organization;
   2. (2) The certified crime stoppers organization and the geographical entity that is requesting to join the crime stoppers organization must choose a new name for the organization unless both parties agree to operate under the name of the existing organization;

   3. (3) The certified crime stoppers organization must file the following documents with the director of the Texas Crime Stoppers Council (Council) requesting certification under a new name (if applicable) and with an expanded geographic territory or jurisdiction:

      1. (A) United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) letter for a 501(c)(3) corporation authorizing the organization to operate under a new name, if applicable;
      2. (B) Texas Secretary of State letter for a 501(c)(3) corporation authorizing the organization to operate under a new name (if applicable);
      3. (C) Application for Continuing Certification under the new name (if applicable) and with an expanded geographic territory or jurisdiction;
      4. (D) Copies of a financial review of all bank accounts for the certified crime stoppers organization as required in §3.9000(f)(1) of this chapter;
      5. (E) Copy of board of directors membership list for the organization, to include contact information for board members, the law enforcement coordinator, and executive director (if applicable);
      6. (F) Copies of letters from the community supervision and corrections departments (CSCD) detailing the amount of court fees paid to the certified organization during the previous two years, under the provisions of Articles 42.12, 37.073 and 42.152, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure;
      7. (G) Training certificates showing that at least one board member, the law enforcement coordinator, and an executive director (if applicable) received training as authorized by the Council within the 12-month period preceding the new Application for Continuing Certification;
      8. (H) Copies of Probation Fee and Repayment Reports for the certified crime stoppers organization for the previous two calendar years as specified by §414.010(a), Texas Government Code;
      9. (I) Copy of the minutes of the board of directors of the certified crime stoppers organization in which the board voted to add the new geographical entity to the territory or jurisdiction served by the crime stoppers organization; and
      10. (J) Written documentation from citizens of the geographic territory or jurisdiction showing an interest in joining an existing crime stoppers organization.
   4. (4) If the director of the Council determines that the newly expanded organization meets all requirements listed in paragraphs (1) - (3) of this subsection, the expanded organization will be presented to the Council for certification at the Council's next regularly scheduled meeting. The Council may grant expanded certification at its discretion.
   5. (5) Once the Council grants certification, the organization will be eligible to apply to the CSCDs in the newly acquired geographic territory or jurisdiction to receive court fees under the provisions of Articles 42.12, 37.073 and 42.152, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
   6. (6) The certification is valid for a period of two years.
2. (b) If a certified or non-certified organization serves the geographic area to which a certified organization is attempting to expand, the expanding organization must send written notice to the Council and to the organization serving the geographic area to which it intends to expand of its intent to serve that area.

Source Note:The provisions of this §3.9021 adopted to be effective June 21, 2009, 34 TexReg 3929; amended to be effective July 11, 2010, 35 TexReg 5803; amended to be effective June 12, 2011, 36 TexReg 3407.