Relating to a defense to prosecution and the dismissal of a charge for the criminal offense of driving with an expired license.

SB 889 creates two defenses for drivers charged with driving with an expired license in Texas. It allows a defense if the driver shows a valid license on arrest date or an expired license that was valid for no more than 60 days before arrest while having scheduled a renewal appointment beforehand. Judges may also dismiss the charge if the defendant fixes the expired license within 60 working days or before their first court appearance, whichever is later. The law applies only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, and does not affect cases where the offense occurred before that date. This bill directly affects drivers with recently expired licenses who can prove they were renewing their license.