When Entering Your Vehicle and Driving:

When pulling up behind a vehicle, leave enough space in front of you for an emergency exit.

Funding

Reduce Auto Theft In Texas (RATT) / Texas Automobile Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority (ABTPA) Funding

The ABTPA general fund was established in 1991 by legislation that requires the collection of a $1 premium once per year for each insured vehicle in Texas. The fee is assessed of all agencies insuring vehicles in Texas, and is collected for ABTPA by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

Funds are distributed through the grant process to eligible organizations and agencies which make application for funding to ABTPA. For fiscal year 2011, 28 grants have been awarded. Project categories eligible for funding include enforcement/apprehension, prosecution/adjudication, public education, prevention of stolen vehicle/auto parts sales, and reduction of stolen vehicles moved across the Mexican border. An applicant may be a department, division, office or organization as a whole in any of the following entities that has the authority and responsibility to carry out the potential proposal to be funded:

Eligible for Funding
Business Organization Commissioner Precinct
Community Organization County
General or Home Rule City Neighborhood
School District State Agency
Sub-division of State Government University Agency

Agencies may request application packets from the ABTPA office in Austin by phoning 512-374-5101, faxing 512-374-5110 or mailing the request to:

Grants are awarded on an annual basis and are effective from September 1 to August 31 of each year. Special grant funds are announced as they become available. All grant announcements are published in the Texas Register.

The 28 grants in place for 2011 have been awarded a total of $13.390 million.  Since ABTPA programs have been in effect, stolen vehicles and parts valued at over $1.5 billion have been recovered by ABTPA task forces.

Interested parties may request information from or provide comments to any ABTPA employee via phone as follows:

Charles Caldwell , Chief Financial Officer, Phone: (512) 374-5108
Jan Gregg, Grant Administrator, Phone: (512) 374-5107
Julia Bardnell, Public Awareness Coordinator, Phone:  (512) 374-5103
Barbara Matthys, Administrative Assistant, Phone: (512) 374-5101
Jennifer Minor, Grants Assistant, Phone: (512) 374-5104