Relating to the subject matter jurisdiction of the criminal trial courts of this state over certain criminal actions.

SB 987 clarifies that criminal trial courts in Texas may exercise jurisdiction over certain criminal cases without requiring plaintiffs to first exhaust civil or administrative remedies. This change directly affects criminal courts, prosecutors, and defendants in cases where civil remedies might otherwise delay criminal proceedings. The bill explicitly adds language to state law stating that such civil remedy exhaustion is not a prerequisite for criminal jurisdiction. It applies to all criminal actions filed before, on, or after its effective date of September 1, 2025. The law modifies existing jurisdictional rules to streamline criminal case processing.