HB 2229 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the expunction of arrest records and files by a statutory county court.

HB 2229 amends Texas law to allow statutory county courts to expunge arrest records and files under specific conditions. It directly affects individuals who were arrested but not convicted (e.g., acquitted or had charges dismissed before trial), enabling them to clear their records through these courts. The key change specifies that statutory county courts may only expunge records for offenses within their jurisdiction, such as misdemeanor cases. This streamlines the process by clarifying which courts can handle expungement requests, replacing prior restrictions that limited this authority. The bill passed in May 2025 and applies to cases meeting eligibility criteria under existing law.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 14, 2025 Last action May 9, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 5 edits · May 8, 2025

MODERATE

This bill expands the ability of statutory county courts in Texas to expunge arrest records, previously limited to district, justice, and municipal courts. It adds new sections to the Code of Criminal Procedure to clarify jurisdiction, filing procedures, and fees for expunction petitions in statutory county courts, effective September 1, 2025.

Scope change

The bill extends expunction eligibility and jurisdiction to statutory county courts for offenses within their jurisdiction, whereas previously only district, justice, and municipal courts could handle such expunctions.

SCOPE

Statutory county courts are now authorized to expunge arrest records and files for offenses under their jurisdiction, expanding the courts that can process expunctions.

REQUIREMENT

New provisions require expunction petitions in statutory county courts to be filed in the county where the petitioner was arrested or where the offense occurred.

FISCAL

A $100 filing fee is established for expunction petitions in justice courts, municipal courts of record, and statutory county courts to cover notification costs for state agencies.

ENFORCEMENT

Statutory county courts now have concurrent jurisdiction with district courts over expunction proceedings for offenses within their jurisdiction.

TIMELINE

The changes apply to expunctions for offenses occurring on or before the effective date of September 1, 2025.

Floor votes · House May 8, 2025

How they voted

109–31

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 145

May 8, 2025

D Democratic59

58 Yea 1 Nay

98% Yea

R Republican86

51 Yea 30 Nay 5

59% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 9, 2025

Introduced

Received from the House

upper

May 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

May 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed to engrossment

lower

May 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Left pending in committee

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors