“Gov. Abbott calls for creation of ‘chief state prosecutor,’ raising questions about local authority”

Leigha Simonton and Chris Kratovil were each quoted in the Spectrum News article, “Gov. Abbott calls for creation of ‘chief state prosecutor,’ raising questions about local authority.”

In the article, Simonton cautions that the proposed “chief state prosecutor” role could erode the long-standing discretion of locally elected district attorneys and raise significant constitutional, logistical, and implementation questions. Drawing on her DOJ experience, she notes that creating such a position would likely require a constitutional amendment and could result in prolonged legal challenges. Kratovil emphasizes that Texas remains politically diverse at the county level.