During an appearance on the Texas Talks podcast with host Brad Swail, State Representative Mitch Little (R-Lewisville) voiced support for a state-level check on local prosecutors and detailed market-based approaches to address rural attorney shortages. Little, who represents House District 65 and sits on the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, outlined these legislative priorities as lawmakers conduct interim hearings ahead of the 90th Texas Legislature.
The Big Picture
The upcoming legislative session is shaping up to feature debates over the centralization of prosecutorial oversight and the management of municipal legal shortages. While academic groups advocate for taxpayer-subsidized solutions to expand legal representation in rural Texas, Little argues that public funds should not artificially alter legal markets. At the same time, growing friction between state leaders and urban district attorneys is driving proposals to allow state-level intervention in local criminal cases to combat what Little calls jurisdiction-specific “lawlessness”.
What Little Is Saying
- On a Statewide Prosecutor: Little confirmed he supports Governor Greg Abbott’s concept of a statewide prosecutor with concurrent jurisdiction to step in when local district attorneys fail to act. However, Little expressed a distinct preference for how that position should be filled: “I generally disfavor appointments by the governor for positions that have that kind of power… I think the people of Texas should be involved in electing that person.”
- On Rural Legal Deserts: Addressing testimony from the Deason Center for Criminal Justice Reform at SMU Law School describing rural areas as “legal deserts,” Little opposed government subsidies to attract lawyers. He instead proposed that law schools internalize the cost: “Why don’t you put some skin in the game and say, we will forego your third year tuition in law school in exchange for your agreement to go and work in rural practice?”
- On Crypto Kiosk Elder Fraud: Little highlighted cryptocurrency kiosks as a rampant tool for financial exploitation targeting seniors. He noted that committee testifiers recommended a outright ban, but acknowledged that such a measure would face debate among legislators seeking to balance consumer protection with regulatory expansion.
- On Property Taxes: Little asserted that complete elimination of the school maintenance and operations (M&O) property tax on homesteads must remain the state’s ultimate fiscal objective, suggesting a pivot toward consumption-based taxes and reduced state spending.
By The Numbers
- 22 Years: The length of time Little has been a practicing attorney in Texas prior to his election to public office.
- 60 to 90 Days: The highly compressed timeframe during the 140-day regular session in which Little notes the bulk of actual legislative decision-making occurs.
- 3: The number of distinct “levers” Little states must be simultaneously controlled to achieve genuine property tax relief: appraisal values, tax rates, and state-allocated relief funds.
The Dispatch Note (The Kicker)
The House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee will continue gathering data from its May 19th interim hearings to compile its final report and recommendations for the full House chamber. While the formal structure of a statewide prosecutor bill remains unfinalized, the draft is highly anticipated to spark a significant debate on executive branch power versus local voter sovereignty when the 90th Legislature convenes in January 2027.
Listen to the full episode here: Texas Talks with Brad Swail: Rep. Mitch Little