(a) The Texas Rangers division of the department shall establish and support a public integrity unit.
(b) On receiving a formal or informal complaint regarding an offense against public administration or on request of a prosecuting attorney or law enforcement agency, the public integrity unit may perform an initial investigation into whether a person has committed an offense against public administration.

Terms Used In Texas Government Code 411.0253

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.

(c) The Texas Rangers have authority to investigate an offense against public administration, any lesser included offense, and any other offense arising from conduct that constitutes an offense against public administration.

Text of subsection effective until January 01, 2025

(d) If an initial investigation by the public integrity unit demonstrates a reasonable suspicion that an offense against public administration occurred, the matter shall be referred to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which venue is proper under Section 411.0256 or Chapter 13, Code of Criminal Procedure, as applicable.

Text of subsection effective on January 01, 2025

(d) If an initial investigation by the public integrity unit demonstrates a reasonable suspicion that an offense against public administration occurred, the matter shall be referred to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which venue is proper under § 411.0256 of this code or Chapter 13A, Code of Criminal Procedure, as applicable.
(e) The public integrity unit shall, on request of the prosecuting attorney described by Subsection (d), assist the attorney in the investigation of an offense against public administration.