Bill > HB2006

This bill modifies Texas law to expand the authority of statutory county courts in handling expunction (legal erasure) of arrest records and files. Specifically, the bill allows statutory county courts to expunge arrest records for offenses within their jurisdictional scope, a power previously limited to district courts, justice courts, and municipal courts of record. The bill adds provisions that enable individuals who were arrested for offenses falling under a statutory county court's jurisdiction to file ex parte petitions for expunction directly in those courts. Additionally, the bill updates various related legal provisions to reflect this new authority, including adding a new article to the Code of Criminal Procedure (Article 55A.2525) that outlines the filing process for such petitions. The bill also adjusts filing fees to include statutory county courts and establishes that these courts now have concurrent jurisdiction with district courts for expunction proceedings related to arrests within their jurisdictional realm. The changes apply retroactively to criminal offenses that occurred before, on, or after the effective date, which is set for September 1, 2025, providing broader access to record expunction for individuals.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2006