Bill > HB2708

This bill modifies Texas law regarding the eligibility of individuals to petition for nondisclosure of criminal history record information, which essentially allows certain criminal records to be sealed from public view. The bill changes the waiting periods and types of offenses eligible for nondisclosure across different legal scenarios: for deferred adjudication (when a person is placed on community supervision without a formal conviction), community supervision following a conviction, and direct convictions. Specifically, the bill reduces waiting periods for various offense levels, such as changing the waiting period for a state jail felony from five to one year, and introducing graduated waiting periods for different felony degrees (5 years for third-degree felonies, 7 years for second-degree felonies, and 10 years for first-degree felonies). The bill also expands the types of offenses that can be considered for nondisclosure and removes some previous restrictions, such as the requirement that a person must have never been previously convicted of another offense. These changes aim to provide more opportunities for individuals to clear their criminal records and potentially improve their employment and housing prospects after completing their sentences or community supervision. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.