Texas Law Gives Attorney General Power to Prosecute Election Crimes

Texas passed Senate Bill 12 to strengthen election law enforcement across the state. The new law gives the Texas Attorney General the power to prosecute people who commit crimes related to state election laws. This represents an important shift in how our state handles election crimes, moving enforcement to the state level alongside local prosecutors.

Under this law, law enforcement agencies must report any case where they suspect someone committed an election crime. They send these reports to the Attorney General's office. The Attorney General then decides whether to prosecute the case directly or work with local district and county attorneys. Local prosecutors can assist the state or take on the prosecution with the Attorney General's oversight. This partnership approach ensures consistent enforcement across Texas.

The law applies only to election crimes committed on or after December 4, 2025, when it takes effect. Crimes committed before that date follow the rules that were in place at the time. Senate Bill 12 passed the Senate on August 19, 2025, with 18 votes in favor and 12 against. It passed the House on August 26, 2025, with 85 in favor, 54 against, and one member present but not voting.

This change strengthens our community's ability to address election crimes consistently across the state. By centralizing coordination through the Attorney General's office, we create clearer rules and stronger accountability for election law violations. Our elections depend on public trust, and this law helps protect that trust.