The bill, H.B. No. 5318, amends the Government Code by adding a new Subchapter D that grants the Texas Attorney General the authority to prosecute specific criminal offenses against public order. This includes offenses under Sections 42.02 and 42.03 of the Penal Code, provided they occur on state-owned or maintained property. The bill outlines the process for law enforcement agencies to report such offenses, requiring them to submit a report to both the local prosecuting attorney and the Attorney General if there is probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. Additionally, local prosecuting attorneys and law enforcement agencies must provide information to assist the Attorney General upon request.

Furthermore, the Attorney General can prosecute these offenses if six months have passed since the report was submitted and the local prosecuting attorney has not initiated any proceedings. The changes introduced by this bill will only apply to offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025, ensuring that any offenses occurring prior to this date will be governed by the existing law.

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