House Bill No. 3452 amends the Education Code to regulate the inquiries into the criminal and disciplinary history of applicants for undergraduate admission to public institutions of higher education in Texas. The bill introduces a new subsection (c-1) to Section 51.762, which prohibits the inclusion of an applicant's criminal history or disciplinary history from primary or secondary schools or postsecondary institutions on application forms, except for specific offenses. These offenses include convictions for stalking, sex offender registration, family violence, and certain serious crimes occurring within the last ten years, as well as pending criminal charges and disciplinary actions related to stalking, sexual assault, sexual harassment, or dating violence.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that institutions may still require applicants to submit additional information, as long as it does not pertain to the prohibited categories outlined in the new subsection. The amendments will take effect for applications submitted for the spring semester of 2026, with the overall implementation date set for September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 51.762, Education Code 51.763 (Education Code 51)