By: Hughes  S.B. No. 1861
         (In the Senate - Filed March 4, 2025; March 17, 2025, read
  first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; May 5, 2025,
  reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 1;
  May 5, 2025, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the appointment of a special prosecutor by the court of
  criminal appeals for certain criminal cases.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2A, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended by adding Article 2A.112 to read as follows:
         Art. 2A.112.  APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FOR CERTAIN
  CASES. (a)  In this article, "prosecuting attorney" means a
  district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney
  with criminal jurisdiction.
         (b)  A law enforcement agency that investigates an offense
  prescribed by the election laws of this state may present to the
  court of criminal appeals a report that includes the
  investigation's findings and a description of any evidence obtained
  as a result of the investigation.
         (c)  On receipt of a report under Subsection (b), the court
  of criminal appeals shall appoint a special prosecutor to:
               (1)  review the report; and
               (2)  make a determination to:
                     (A)  bring a criminal action based on the report;
                     (B)  decline to bring the action described by
  Paragraph (A); or
                     (C)  request that the law enforcement agency
  pursue further investigation.
         (d)  To be eligible to be appointed as a special prosecutor
  under this article, a person must:
               (1)  be a prosecuting attorney who serves an area that
  does not overlap with the area served by the law enforcement agency
  who presented the report, unless the law enforcement agency has
  statewide jurisdiction; and
               (2)  have the appropriate experience to ensure
  competent representation of the state in any legal proceeding with
  respect to the offense that is the subject of the report.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
 
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