Relating to the authority of the attorney general to prosecute certain criminal offenses against public order.

HB 5318 gives Texas' Attorney General the authority to prosecute certain criminal offenses against public order when local prosecutors fail to act. It specifically applies to offenses under Penal Code Sections 42.02 (disorderly conduct) or 42.03 (criminal trespass) committed on state-owned property or state-maintained highways. The bill requires law enforcement to send reports about these offenses simultaneously to both local prosecutors and the Attorney General; if local prosecutors don't initiate charges within six months, the Attorney General may take over the case. This change affects state law enforcement agencies, local prosecutors, and the Attorney General's office, applying only to offenses occurring on or after September 1, 2025.