politically engaged persons; criminal charges

HB 2796 requires prosecutors to obtain prior approval from the attorney general and all applicable county attorneys before filing criminal charges against individuals defined as "politically engaged persons." This includes current or former elected officials, candidates for office, advocacy groups, and close associates like employees or family members of those individuals. If approval is not secured, courts must dismiss the charges unless prosecutors prove they had no knowledge the defendant was politically engaged at the time of filing. The bill aims to create a procedural safeguard for politically active individuals by adding an administrative step before criminal charges can proceed.