The prosecution and venue for trial of certain offenses by certain state residents

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, with certain limited exceptions, civil violations of the elections, ethics, and lobbying regulation laws and of all other laws arising from or in relation to the official functions of the subject of an investigation or any matter that relates to elections, ethics, or lobbying regulation that are alleged to be committed by a resident of this state are prosecuted by the Government Accountability Board or by the district attorney for the prosecutorial unit (in most cases, the county) where the subject resides. With similar exceptions, civil violations of these laws by nonresidents are prosecuted by the board or by the district attorney for the prosecutorial unit where an alleged violation occurs. Criminal violations of these laws are prosecuted solely by the same district attorney, subject to the same exceptions. With certain limited exceptions, the trial in any such civil or criminal prosecution of a resident of this state, as well as in any lobbying license revocation action brought by the board, is held in circuit court for the county where the subject resides. With similar exceptions, the trial in any such civil or criminal prosecution of a nonresident of this state is held in circuit court for the county where an alleged violation occurs.

This bill provides, with similar exceptions, that all such civil violations shall be prosecuted by the board or by the district attorney for the prosecutorial unit who would prosecute the violation under general law (in most cases, the prosecutorial unit where an alleged violation occurs). The bill also provides, with similar exceptions, that all such criminal violations shall be prosecuted by the district attorney for the prosecutorial unit who would prosecute the violation under general law (in most cases, the prosecutorial unit where an alleged violation occurs). In addition, the bill provides, with limited exceptions, that the trial in any such civil or criminal prosecution, as well as in any lobbying license revocation action brought by the board, shall be held in circuit court for the county provided under general law (in most cases, the county where the alleged violation occurs). Under the bill, the board has no responsibility for prosecution of any violations other than violations of the elections, ethics, and lobbying regulation laws.

Who's behind it

2 representatives are its authors⁠. All 2 are Democrats.

1 more lawmaker signed on in support⁠.