🟡Relating to the procedures for the expunction of arrest records and files; authorizing a fee.

🟡 SB 1667: Updating how Texans clear criminal records

What it says it does:
SB 1667 modernizes the expunction process by requiring electronic service of notices when possible, creating a standard $25 fee when agencies cannot take electronic service, and ensuring people can always access their expunction order even years later.

What it actually changes:
The bill shifts responsibility onto petitioners to provide correct agency addresses and emails, reduces oversight by destroying case files after one year, and creates a narrow carveout that keeps certain mental health related data for federal gun background check audits.

Who is pushing for it:
Support noted from the County and District Clerks Association of Texas, individual district clerks, criminal justice reform groups such as Texas Civil Rights Project, Texas Appleseed, Alliance for Safety and Justice, and the Dallas County District Attorney’s office.

Who benefits:
Clerks benefit from clear fee rules and reduced liability for incomplete contact lists. Petitioners gain permanent access to their expunction order and faster processing when agencies accept electronic service. Federal and state agencies benefit from cleaner data for background checks.

Who gets left out or exposed:
Low income or self represented petitioners pay more when multiple agencies do not accept electronic service and face risks if their service list is incomplete. Privacy advocates lose ground with the permanent exception for NICS audit data.

Why this matters long term:
This bill sets a precedent for retaining certain records even after expunction and makes individuals bear more of the cost and responsibility. It also reduces long term transparency by limiting how long records of the process itself are kept.

What to watch next:
Future sessions may expand the categories of records exempted from expunction or push toward a centralized electronic service directory. The balance between privacy and compliance with federal audits is now open to change.

Bottom line:
SB 1667 speeds up and modernizes expunctions but creates new costs for everyday Texans, weakens oversight, and leaves open a permanent carveout that undercuts the idea of a clean slate.

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