State Rep. Mike Mueller today celebrated the successful House vote in support of his plan to bring back local control to elected prosecutors. 

Mueller’s measure ends the practice of the Michigan attorney general playing a role in the oversight of prosecutors who are locally elected to serve a crucial role in the criminal justice system.  

“It’s not the job of the attorney general to supervise independently elected county prosecutors,” said Mueller (R-Linden). “This bill ends that practice and gives a bigger voice to prosecutors in smaller counties, who face unique challenges. They know their own needs better than anyone. We don’t need the attorney general to interfere.” 

House Bill 5719, introduced by Mueller, would move the Office of Prosecuting Attorneys Coordination and its oversight agency, the Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council (PACC), to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). The office and council are both currently overseen by the Attorney General.  

The bill would require the office to exercise its duties, functions, and responsibilities independently of LARA. The department would be required to provide support and coordinated services as requested by the office. 

It also removes the attorney general (or their designated representative) from PACC and creates a new, one-year position on the council for a prosecuting attorney from a county with a population of less than 50,000 who would be elected by the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan. 

The bill now heads to the Senate for further consideration.