The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 436 on concurrent criminal jurisdiction for the attorney general authored by Sen. Young. The bill grants the attorney general concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute certain crimes if the prosecuting attorney refuses as a matter of policy to prosecute those crimes, establishes a procedure for the attorney general to assume jurisdiction, and requires the county to reimburse the attorney general for expenses incurred in prosecuting crimes in the county, and provides that the state is not required to reimburse a prosecuting attorney for expenses incurred in an action brought by the attorney general to prosecute certain cases. An amendment was adopted stating that the credentials of the appointed special prosecutor must meet the requirements of current law.
The Office of the Attorney General is neutral on the bill. The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, the Indiana Public Defender Council, the Indiana ACLU, Marion County Reentry Coalition, members of the Indiana defense bar, and members of the public testified in opposition to the bill. The amended bill passed, 6-3.
Read the bill at: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2020/bills/senate/436