The bill, S.B. No. 589, introduces Chapter 621 to the Government Code, which establishes new regulations regarding the consideration of criminal history for applicants seeking public employment in Texas. Under this chapter, public employers are prohibited from obtaining criminal history information or asking applicants to disclose their criminal history before making a conditional offer of employment. However, the bill allows public employers to inform applicants about specific criminal convictions that may disqualify them from consideration for a position, as well as to include a question on initial application forms regarding disqualifying offenses, provided the question is limited to those offenses.

The bill specifies that it does not apply to independent school districts or positions within law enforcement agencies that require a license. Additionally, it clarifies that public employers may obtain criminal history information after a conditional offer has been made. The changes enacted by this bill will only apply to employment applications submitted on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025, ensuring that applications submitted prior to this date will be governed by the existing law.

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