Bill > HB2715

This bill modifies the procedures for removing certain officers of political subdivisions in Texas by expanding the scope of removal proceedings beyond just prosecuting attorneys to include a broader range of local government officers. Specifically, the bill changes how removal petitions are filed and processed by mandating that all removal petitions be addressed to the presiding judge of the administrative judicial region, rather than just district judges. The bill also requires that when a removal petition is filed, the district clerk must deliver a copy to the presiding judge of the administrative judicial region, who will then assign a district court judge from outside the county where the petition was filed to conduct the removal proceedings. Additionally, the presiding judge will appoint a prosecuting attorney from another judicial district or county within the administrative judicial region to represent the state during the removal proceedings. The changes apply only to removal petitions filed on or after the bill's effective date, which will be immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, or September 1, 2025, if that threshold is not met. This modification aims to standardize and potentially improve the process for removing local government officers by introducing more neutral oversight and procedural consistency.