State Public Safety Grant Guide
Texas Public Safety Grants
Funding pathways and procurement guidance for Texas law enforcement, emergency management, homeland security, investigations, body cameras, cybersecurity, and public safety drone programs.
This Texas guide connects public safety funding with the rules that can determine whether a particular drone, camera, networked device, or related service may be bought and used. Grant eligibility, allowable equipment, procurement terms, and operational authority are separate checks.
Start with the actual notice and award terms. The current Texas Public Safety Office (PSO) state-administered Criminal Justice Grant Program excludes UAS and accessories, even though other law enforcement technology may be eligible. The separate federal direct-local Byrne JAG route has its own rules and deadlines. See MAXSUR's NDAA, TAA, FCC & Blue UAS guide for the broader federal framework.
Reviewed September 28, 2026: Deadlines and allocations below are from published FY2026/FY2027 notices and allocation schedules. Closed programs are planning references, not open applications. Confirm the live notice, any amendments, current manufacturer status, and your agency's policies before purchasing.
Texas Procurement & Cybersecurity
How Texas Drone and Surveillance Rules Meet Grant Funding
Texas has a state-device prohibited technology policy, a separate covered-applications law reaching local government, specific PSO grant restrictions, and federal award conditions. The answer depends on the buyer, network, funding source, product, and mission.
DIR Prohibited Technologies
DIR lists DJI, Autel, Hikvision, Dahua, Huawei, ZTE, TP-Link, CATL and others. Listed hardware and software are prohibited for use on state-owned devices and networks under the state agency policy.
Covered Apps & Training
Government Code Chapter 620 covered-applications policies reach state and local entities. PSO notices also require local-government cybersecurity training certification.
Check Each Cost Exclusion
Texas PSO FY2027 JAG, Operation Lone Star, and Coverdell notices expressly exclude UAS. The body-worn camera notice instead targets cameras, storage, and retrieval.
ASDA & BJA Rules
Federal award funds cannot procure or be used in connection with operation of FASC-prohibited UAS after Dec. 22, 2025, subject to specified exceptions and waivers. BJA also requires express prior approval for UAS costs.
What the Texas DIR List Actually Covers
DIR's current list and guidance says listed software and hardware are prohibited from use on state-owned devices and networks. The hardware list updated February 4, 2026 names Autel Robotics; CATL; Dahua; Gotion; Hisense; Huawei; Hikvision; Hytera; NucTech; RoboSense; SZ DJI Technology; TCL; TP-Link; Uniview; Wuhan Geosun; Xiaomi; ZTE; and listed subsidiaries or affiliates. Verify the live list and the actual component, connected service, data path, and agency policy.
A state agency head can approve a narrowly justified exception for law enforcement investigations or other legitimate uses under the state's process; approval cannot be delegated and requires notice/reporting. This is not an automatic local-government blanket manufacturer purchasing ban. A city or county may nevertheless have its own stricter procurement or network policy, contractual restrictions, or federal funding conditions.
Local Covered Applications and Grant Cyber Training
Government Code Chapter 620 requires covered-applications policies for state and local governmental entities. DIR lists TikTok/ByteDance successors, Lemon8, and RedNote as covered applications. That chapter is distinct from the broader state-device hardware list.
PSO FY2027 notices require local governments to certify compliance with cybersecurity training under Government Code §§772.012 and 2054.5191 and upload the certification. Noncompliance can make a local government ineligible for Office of the Governor grant funds until the second anniversary of its ineligibility determination. Budget for secure storage, access controls, retention, updates, and incident response as the particular project requires.
Federal Supply Chain Tests Are Separate
OMB M-26-02 Appendix D implements the American Security Drone Act restriction for federal award funds, including operation-related spending on FASC-prohibited UAS. BJA's UAS policy calls for express prior approval and its specified certification, including Blue UAS Cleared List considerations where applicable. Blue UAS status alone is not an award or procurement approval.
NDAA §889 addresses covered telecommunications and video surveillance equipment/services in federal contracting and awards; the FCC Covered List is another distinct regime. The Trade Agreements Act is relevant to covered federal procurements, such as applicable schedule contracts, and is not a universal Texas local-purchase test. Ask the grant administrator which award clauses and restrictions attach to the specific purchase.
Flying Near Critical Infrastructure
Government Code Chapter 423 addresses UAS image capture and operations near critical infrastructure. Section 423.0045 includes express exceptions for the federal government, the state, governmental entities, law enforcement agencies, and persons acting under their direction. It should not be read as a categorical bar on police, fire, or other government flights near those facilities.
Check the mission's image-capture authority and any separate limitations under §§423.002–.009, along with FAA airspace, pilot, and authorization rules. A flight exception does not make the drone or its accessories an allowable cost under a grant that excludes UAS.
Verified Funding Pathways
Texas Grant Opportunities
These published notices illustrate where cameras, cybersecurity, investigative equipment, or mission support may fit. The status is as of September 28, 2026. A program's general equipment eligibility does not override a listed UAS exclusion.
| Program / official notice | Applicant / source | Technology fit and key condition | Deadline status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 BJA Byrne JAG – Local Formula | Eligible direct-local jurisdictions · DOJ/BJA | Law enforcement technology subject to NOFO and award terms; UAS requires express BJA prior approval and federal compliance review. Separate from Texas PSO's FY2027 JAG prohibition. | Open: Grants.gov Oct. 9, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET; JustGrants Oct. 16, 8:59 p.m. ET |
| Texas PSO Criminal Justice Grant Program, FY2027 | State/local and other eligible entities · PSO / state-administered JAG | Investigative and law enforcement technology may fit; UAS, UAVs, and accessories excluded. Local projects pass through council-of-governments prioritization. | Closed Feb. 12, 2026; monitor next cycle |
| Texas PSO Body-Worn Camera, FY2027 | DPS, municipalities, counties with law enforcement agencies · PSO | Body cameras, digital storage/retrieval, and eligible cloud services within the 12-month project period; 25% match, policy and training requirements. | Closed Feb. 12, 2026; FY2027 projects start Sep. 1, 2026 or later |
| Texas SLCGP Mitigation Projects, FY2027 | Local governments and eligible tribes · PSO / FEMA-CISA | One-time cyber-risk reduction for local information systems, such as endpoint defense and backups; 30% match. Not a general drone/camera buying fund. | Closed Feb. 12, 2026; monitor next cycle |
| Texas SHSP Regular Projects, FFY2026 | Eligible statewide/local homeland security projects · PSO / FEMA | Terrorism-prevention capability and approved equipment; document nexus, applicable FEMA authorized-equipment and UAS terms. | Closed Mar. 16, 2026 |
| Texas UASI Regular Projects, FFY2026 | Eligible urban-area partners · PSO / FEMA | Regional terrorism-prevention projects; urban-area working group coordination and grant-specific equipment review. | Closed Apr. 30, 2026 |
| Operation Lone Star, FY2027 | Eligible border-security applicants · PSO | Qualified border-security costs. Aircraft, including small UAS and drones, expressly excluded. Body cameras also excluded under separate-program rule. | Closed Mar. 12, 2026 |
| Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement, FY2027 | Accredited forensic labs / medical examiner offices · PSO / DOJ | Forensic instrumentation, digital evidence backlog, lab technology; UAS and accessories excluded. | Closed Feb. 12, 2026; monitor next cycle |
| Internet Crimes Against Children, FY2027 | Recognized Texas ICAC leads only: OAG, Dallas, Houston · PSO | Technology-facilitated exploitation investigations, digital forensics, eligible equipment and training; narrow applicant pool. | Closed Feb. 12, 2026 |
| TxDOT General Traffic Safety / STEP, FY2027 | Eligible traffic-safety applicants · TxDOT / NHTSA | Program-specific traffic safety or enforcement goals; check RFP cost categories before proposing cameras or other equipment. | Closed Jan. 16, 2026; monitor FY2028 RFP |
Application route matters: Texas PSO eGrants applications commonly require a governing-body resolution, applicable certifications, reporting compliance, and an uploaded cybersecurity training certificate for local governments. Read the exact solicitation; direct federal awards use Grants.gov and JustGrants instead.
Funding Context
FY2026 Byrne JAG Allocations for Texas
These are published formula allocations, not grants already awarded. Joint jurisdiction totals require coordination among the named governments and do not indicate an approved equipment purchase.
| Allocation grouping | FY2026 amount | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Texas state formula allocation | $16,547,800 | BJA state allocation; includes $9,226,329 required variable pass-through and $1,486,282 less-than-$10,000 pass-through amounts. |
| Direct local Texas total | $8,880,287 | BJA's direct-local allocation schedule; distinct from the state formula allocation. |
| Harris County / City of Houston joint total | $2,970,595 | $798,369 county plus $2,172,226 city in the joint allocation. |
| Dallas-area joint grouping | $1,084,335 | Group total across listed Dallas County-area municipalities; not solely City of Dallas. |
| Bexar County / San Antonio joint total | $974,755 | Joint group total; confirm local coordination and the application. |
Common Questions
Texas Drone, Camera & Grant Compliance Questions
Is DJI or Autel categorically illegal for every Texas police department?
DIR lists SZ DJI Technology and Autel Robotics under the state-device/network prohibited technology policy. That guidance does not by itself create a blanket purchase ban for every locally funded municipal or county department. Local policy, system connectivity, funding terms, and any other applicable restriction still matter.
Can FY2027 Texas PSO Byrne JAG pay for a drone?
No. The FY2027 Criminal Justice Grant Program notice expressly prohibits UAS, UAVs, and accompanying accessories. A general equipment category does not override that exclusion.
Is the direct federal JAG program the same application?
No. BJA's FY2026 direct-local formula notice has October 2026 federal application deadlines and separate award terms. If an applicant proposes UAS costs, BJA requires express prior approval and applicable certifications; funding is not automatic.
Can Operation Lone Star buy drones?
The FY2027 PSO notice excludes aircraft, explicitly including small UAS and drones. It should not be presented as drone acquisition funding.
Does Blue UAS clearance guarantee grant reimbursement?
No. It may be relevant to a federal grant's UAS review, but the specific notice, BJA prior approval where applicable, ASDA restrictions, state policy, and procurement rules remain separate requirements.
Are public safety flights banned near Texas critical infrastructure?
No blanket conclusion follows from §423.0045: the critical-infrastructure section includes governmental and law-enforcement exceptions. Agencies must still check the mission, FAA rules, image-capture provisions, and their own operating procedures.
MAXSUR Solution Pathways
Connect Texas Funding to Field Capability
Match the proposed item to the grant's allowed cost, funding restrictions, Texas technology policy, and operational mission before quoting or purchasing.
Procurement Pathway
Use Grant Funding With Compliant Procurement
MAXSUR's BuyBoard contract may provide an efficient purchasing route for eligible Texas agencies after the project, manufacturer, equipment, and funding-source reviews are complete.
Cooperative contract access does not establish grant allowability, override a UAS exclusion, or substitute for the agency's own procurement and security review.