Relating to the eligibility of criminal defendants for an order of nondisclosure of criminal history record information for certain offenses committed when younger than 25 years of age.

HB 996 allows individuals convicted of certain offenses before turning 25 to petition courts for sealing their criminal records. It applies to people who completed their sentence (including fines, restitution, and supervision) without prior record sealing for the same offense, excluding specific serious crimes listed in Texas law. Petitioners must wait two years for misdemeanors or five years for felonies after sentence completion. If approved, courts issue orders preventing public disclosure of the sealed records by law enforcement and other agencies. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.