Official Summary Text
ON APRIL 15, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 483, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, authorize the attorney general to conduct an audit of a district attorney general's disposition of charges and other ancillary matters within the 30th judicial district. The purpose of the audit is to ensure t
he proper administration of justice necessary to protect the safety of the community and to provide accountability to the public.
This amendment requires such audit of the 30th judicial district to review all of the following:
The disposition of all charges brought to and by the district attorney general and the reasoning for the district attorney general's decision to reduce, nolle prosequi, or dismiss a charge.
The recommendations given by the district attorney general regarding conditions of pretrial release and requirement of bail or release on recognizance for charges.
The use of funds by the district attorney general.
Any other alleged misconduct or unlawful acts committed in the course of the district attorney general's duties.
For the purposes of such an audit or any subsequent legislative action resulting from such an audit, this amendment requires the attorney general to be accorded access to and may examine any information, records, books, data, or reports maintained by a d
istrict attorney general, whether or not the information is subject to public inspection. A district attorney general must fully cooperate with the attorney general in providing such access.
This amendment generally requires the attorney general to maintain inviolate any privileged or confidential information so acquired and any record or writing so defined by law. However, the attorney general may provide any such information, record, or w
riting to the speaker of the house of representatives and the speaker of the senate to the extent the attorney general deems it necessary to include such information in the audit report and to members of the general assembly for the purpose of considering
o
r taking subsequent legislative action. If the attorney general provides any such information, record, or writing to members of the general assembly, then the members of the general assembly must maintain inviolate any privileged or confidential informat
ion so acquired and any record or writing so defined by law.
This amendment requires the attorney general to submit a report of the findings of the audit of the 30th judicial district to the speaker of the house of representatives and the speaker of the senate by January 1, 2027.
If the attorney general finds clear evidence that the district attorney general in the 30th judicial district has peremptorily and categorically refused to prosecute criminal offenses based on an unjustifiable and unconstitutional standard, without regar
d to facts or circumstances, or taken other official action that constitutes a failure or refusal to prosecute according to the law, then this amendment authorizes the attorney general to petition the supreme court for appointment of a district attorney g
en
eral pro tem pursuant this amendment as summarized below.
ATTORNEY ACTING FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY GENERAL
If a district attorney general anywhere in this state has peremptorily and categorically refused to prosecute criminal offenses based on an unjustifiable and unconstitutional standard, without regard to facts or circumstances or taken other official actio
n that constitutes a failure or refusal to prosecute according to the law, then this amendment authorizes the attorney general to petition the supreme court for appointment of a district attorney general pro tem.
If the supreme court finds that such district attorney general has refused to attend and prosecute according to law, then this amendment requires the supreme court to appoint some other attorney, from a list provided by the district attorneys general con
ference, as district attorney general pro tem in the district attorney general's place for the sole purpose of prosecuting persons accused of committing those certain offenses. The acts of such district attorney general pro tem are valid as if done by th
e
regular officer, and the district attorney general pro tem is entitled to the same privileges and emoluments.
ON APRIL 16, 2026, THE SENATE SUBSTITUTED HOUSE BILL 483 FOR SENATE BILL 443, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 483, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:
R
emoves that the attorney general is authorized to conduct an audit of a district attorney general's disposition of charges and other ancillary matters within the 30th judicial district and, instead, authorizes the attorney general to conduct a study
on such matters
. Additionally, if the attorney general determines that auditing services are required to conduct the study, the attorney general may request the comptroller of the treasury to provide the necessary auditing services.
Removes that a
n audi
t
conducted
by
the attorney general
must
review
t
he disposition of all charges brought to and by the district attorney general
of
the 30th judicial district
and requires, instead, that a study conducted by
the attorney general
must review the
disposition of charges resulting from the Memphis safe task force that were brought to and by the district attorney general
in the 30th judicial district.
Defines, for the purposes of the above bullet point, the
"
M
emphis safe task force"
as
a federal task force operating with the objective of ending street and violent crime in Memphis to the greatest possible extent through the promotion and facilitation of hypervigilant policing, aggressive prosecution, complex investigations, financial enforcement, and large-scale saturation of besieged neighborhoods with law enforcement personnel, while coordinating closely with state and local officials
.