The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, will have the following meanings, unless otherwise indicated:

1. (1) "Applicant" is a county or other eligible entity that has submitted a grant application, grant renewal documentation, or other request for funding from the Commission.
2. (2) "Application" is any formal request for funding submitted to the Commission.
3. (3) "Compliance Assistance Grants" means discretionary funding awarded to counties by the Commission for a specific program designed to promote and assist counties' compliance with the requirements of state law relating to indigent defense.

4. (4) "Crime" means

   1. (A) a misdemeanor punishable by confinement; or
   2. (B) a felony.
5. (5) "Defendant" means a person accused of a crime or a juvenile offense.
6. (6) "Discretionary Grant" means discretionary funding awarded on a competitive basis to implement new programs or processes in Texas counties designed to improve the quality of indigent defense services.
7. (7) "Extraordinary Disbursement Grant" means discretionary funding to reimburse a county for actual extraordinary expenses for providing indigent defense services in a case or series of cases causing a financial hardship for the county.
8. (8) "Fair Defense Account" is an account in the general revenue fund that may be appropriated to the Commission for the purpose of implementing the Texas Fair Defense Act.
9. (9) "Fiscal Monitor" is an employee of the Commission who monitors counties' fiscal processes to ensure that grant funds are spent appropriately in accordance with the Texas Fair Defense Act.
10. (10) "Formula Grant" means funding awarded to counties through a formula approved by the Commission.
11. (11) "Grant" is a funding award made by the Commission to a Texas county or other eligible entity.
12. (12) "Grantee" means a county or other eligible entity that is the recipient of a grant or other funds from the Commission.

13. (13) "Juvenile offense" means conduct committed by a person while younger than 17 years of age that constitutes:

    1. (A) a misdemeanor punishable by confinement; or
    2. (B) a felony.
14. (14) "Special condition" means a requirement placed on a grant recipient by the Commission that must be satisfied as condition of funding.
15. (15) "Sustainability Grant" means discretionary funding awarded to assist counties in maintaining regional public defender programs.
16. (16) "Technical Support Grants" means discretionary-based funding awarded for special projects to improve the quality of indigent defense services, raise the knowledge base about indigent defense, and establish processes that can be generalized to similar situations in other counties.
17. (17) "Texas Indigent Defense Commission" (Commission) is the governmental entity established and governed by §79.002 of the Texas Government Code.
18. (18) "UGMS" means the Uniform Grant Management Standards promulgated by the Office of the Comptroller.

Source Note:The provisions of this §173.102 adopted to be effective October 17, 2017, 42 TexReg 5669.