Bill > HB1666

This bill addresses the expunction (legal erasure) of arrest records for certain nonviolent misdemeanor offenses, creating a pathway for individuals to clear their criminal records under specific conditions. The legislation allows a person to have their arrest records expunged if they were arrested for a nonviolent misdemeanor, placed on deferred adjudication community supervision (a type of probation where the final conviction is not entered if requirements are met), and subsequently received a dismissal and discharge. To qualify, the individual must not have been required to register as a sex offender, must not have been convicted of another significant offense in the intervening period, must have no pending charges, and must wait at least five years after receiving the dismissal. The bill specifically excludes certain serious misdemeanors related to family violence, sexual offenses, and other violent crimes. Additionally, the legislation provides that expunction petitions can be filed in the county of arrest or where the offense occurred, and adds a provision that court fees for the expunction process may be waived for indigent individuals. The bill applies retroactively to misdemeanor offenses committed before, on, or after its effective date, which is September 1, 2025, and aims to give individuals with certain nonviolent misdemeanor arrests a clearer path to removing these records from their criminal history.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1666