SB 2743 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the prosecution of certain election offenses.

SB 2743 creates a process for disqualifying local prosecutors who consistently refuse to prosecute election law violations. It allows judges to declare a district or county attorney disqualified if they follow a policy of declining to prosecute election offenses, and requires judges to appoint an assistant attorney general to handle those cases instead. Residents who have lived in a county for at least six months can file petitions seeking disqualification if they believe a prosecutor has a pattern of not prosecuting election violations. The bill specifically targets election-related prosecutions and mandates that the attorney general's office handles these cases without additional state funding. This bill aims to ensure consistent enforcement of election laws by local prosecutors.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 13, 2025 Last action May 23, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 5 edits · Apr 24, 2025
MODERATE
This bill establishes a new process for disqualifying district or county attorneys who consistently refuse to prosecute election law violations. It allows residents who have lived in a county for six months to petition a judge to disqualify an attorney if they have a policy of not prosecuting election offenses. When an attorney is disqualified or unavailable, an assistant attorney general must step in to handle the case.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope by creating new mechanisms for citizen-initiated attorney disqualification and establishing a clear chain of command for prosecuting election law violations when local attorneys are unavailable or disqualified.
ENFORCEMENT

New process allowing residents to petition judges to disqualify district or county attorneys who refuse to prosecute election law violations

Updated Article 2A.104 to clarify that assistant attorneys general perform additional duties without additional compensation when appointed to replace disqualified attorneys

REQUIREMENT

Requirement for judges to appoint assistant attorneys general when local attorneys are disqualified or unavailable

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility criteria requiring petitioners to have resided in the county for at least six months

TIMELINE

Bill takes effect on September 1, 2025, with retroactive application limited to offenses committed on or after that date

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
27
Key actions
7
Committee
8
May 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
lower
Apr 28, 2025
Committee
Referred to State Affairs
lower
Apr 28, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
Apr 25, 2025
Introduced
Received from the Senate
lower
Apr 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Apr 15, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
Apr 15, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Apr 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Left pending in committee
upper
Apr 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Testimony taken in committee
upper
Apr 3, 2025
Committee
Referred to State Affairs
upper
Apr 3, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors