89R13516 RDS-D
By: Money H.B. No. 4006
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the suspension and removal from office of a district
attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney of a
political subdivision of this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 2, Government Code, is amended
by adding Chapter 47 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 47. SUSPENSION AND REMOVAL OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY, CRIMINAL
DISTRICT ATTORNEY, OR COUNTY ATTORNEY
Sec. 47.001. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to a
person serving in an elected office to which Section 7, Article XV,
Texas Constitution, applies.
Sec. 47.002. DUTY TO FOLLOW AND EXECUTE LAWS OF THIS STATE.
A district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney
of a political subdivision of this state shall follow and execute
the laws of this state in accordance with the attorney's oath of
office.
Sec. 47.003. SUSPENSION BY GOVERNOR; PETITION. (a)
Notwithstanding any other law, the governor may suspend a district
attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney of a
political subdivision of this state on the grounds that the
attorney violated Section 47.002.
(b) The governor shall file a petition for removal of a
district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney
the governor suspends under Subsection (a) in a district court in
the county in which the attorney resides.
(c) A suspension under this section:
(1) takes effect on the date the petition under
Subsection (b) is filed; and
(2) is temporary pending the outcome of a trial under
Section 47.004.
(d) Notwithstanding any other law, if the governor suspends
a district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney
under Subsection (a), the governor shall make a provisional
appointment to temporarily fill the vacancy until the conclusion of
the trial under Section 47.004.
Sec. 47.004. TRIAL; REMOVAL. (a) A district attorney,
criminal district attorney, or county attorney suspended by the
governor under Section 47.003 may only be removed under this
chapter following a trial by jury.
(b) The trial for removal of a district attorney, criminal
district attorney, or county attorney under this chapter and the
proceedings connected with the trial shall be conducted to the
extent practicable in accordance with the rules and practice of the
court in other civil cases, in the name of the State of Texas.
(c) In a trial under this section, the judge shall instruct
the jury to find from the evidence whether the grounds for removal
alleged in the petition are true. If the petition alleges more than
one ground for removal, the jury shall indicate in the verdict which
grounds are sustained by the evidence and which are not sustained.
(d) If the jury finds that any ground for removal alleged in
the petition is true, the suspended district attorney, criminal
district attorney, or county attorney is immediately removed from
office and the temporary appointment made under Section 47.003(d)
continues until the vacancy in the office is filled as otherwise
provided by law.
(e) If the jury does not find that any ground for removal
alleged in the petition is true:
(1) the suspension of the district attorney, criminal
district attorney, or county attorney is immediately terminated;
(2) the temporary appointment made under Section
47.003(d) is terminated; and
(3) the attorney is returned to office.
(f) Except as provided by Subsection (g), in a trial to
remove a district attorney or criminal district attorney of a
political subdivision of this state under this chapter, the county
attorney shall represent the state.
(g) In a trial to remove a county attorney from office, the
county attorney from an adjoining county, as selected by the
commissioners court of the county in which the proceeding is
pending, shall represent the state.
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
conduct of a district attorney, criminal district attorney, or
county attorney of a political subdivision of this state that
occurs on or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.