Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued a joint call Sept. 18 for greater oversight of local prosecutors who they say decline to enforce state law, setting up a legislative push over the discretion district attorneys exercise in criminal cases.
The three said in a news release from the governor’s office that they are prioritizing transparency and accountability measures in response to what they described as a pattern of certain local prosecutors releasing repeat offenders back into their communities.
“Texans come first,” Abbott said in the release. “Prosecutors must enforce Texas law and keep violent criminals behind bars. When murder charges are dropped and repeat offenders walk free, innocent Texans pay the price. Texas will hold rogue prosecutors accountable and deliver justice for victims.”
Burrows said the House Governmental Oversight Select Committee, which he created in March, will meet Sept. 30 to hear testimony on the issue and develop reforms. He said the work “will be a top priority for the Texas House next session” and described the aim as strengthening public safety, holding public officials accountable and ensuring “political ideology never comes before law and order.”
Patrick said the Texas Senate “will take strong action against these rogue prosecutors who release violent murderers, rapists, and other violent criminals back onto our streets,” adding that he looked forward to working with Burrows and Abbott.
The release centered on Travis County, where the state leaders said District Attorney José Garza’s office has dismissed murder charges, declined to prosecute violent offenders or seen bond granted in cases involving repeat offenders. It listed five defendants by name along with case histories that included dismissed murder charges, a case resolved on a lesser charge and a pending capital murder case involving the death of a peace officer. The release did not include a response from Garza’s office.
District attorneys in Texas are elected at the county level and decide which cases their offices charge and pursue. The state leaders said concerns are growing over prosecutorial decisions in some regions of the state.
The Sept. 30 committee hearing is the first scheduled public step described in the release. Changes to how prosecutors are supervised would require action when the Legislature next meets in regular session.