Creates a path
Qualifying applicants petition the court for expunction or nondisclosure under defined legal standards.
Restoring rights. Rebuilding lives. Restoring Texas.
A nonviolent criminal record should have an end date.
The Texas Restore Act creates a structured, petition-based path to record relief for eligible Texans. It addresses barriers to employment, housing, occupational licensing and family stability while preserving public-safety standards.
What the bill does
Relief requires a court petition and an individual review.
The proposal does not use automatic record clearing. Eligible Texans ask a court for relief after completing their sentence and meeting the bill’s waiting period and eligibility standards.
Protects safety
Eligibility rules, waiting periods, exclusions and judicial review preserve responsible public-safety protections.
Restores opportunity
Relief reduces stale-record barriers affecting work, housing, licensing, income and family stability.
Strengthens Texas
Employers gain access to qualified workers. Families gain stability. Communities gain people able to contribute fully.
Policy connected to practice
Bridge Forward shows what becomes possible when barriers come down.
Record relief works best alongside reentry support. Bridge Forward helps returning citizens address identification, housing, benefits, wellness, employment preparation and family stability. The Texas Restore Act addresses the stale record that often blocks progress after those steps are complete.
12statewide campus stops
9Texas HBCUs
3partner university stops
The route includes every Texas HBCU, UTRGV as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and two predominantly white institutions. Each stop brings record-relief education, civic engagement, lived-experience storytelling, reentry support and workforce connections into surrounding communities.
September 2026 through April 2027
Texas Restore Act campaign schedule
The campaign moves from community education to bill filing, hearings and National Second Chance Month. Dates outside the confirmed Houston launch are planning windows until each host campus approves its event.
September 28, 2026
Houston launch
Texas Southern University, Barbara Jordan–Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, Auditorium Room 104
Doors 4:00 PM. Program 6:00–8:45 PM.
October 2026
Community voice and coalition month
Houston and statewide partner outreach
Collect lived-experience stories, recruit employers and reentry partners, and prepare community speakers.
November 10, 2026
Bill filing opens
90th Texas Legislature
Begin the formal filing phase, legislative briefings and the next round of community education.
December 2026
Business and workforce roundtables
Tour locations to be confirmed
Engage employers, housing leaders, workforce partners and researchers around the cost of stale records.
January 2027
Legislative session mobilization
Austin and statewide tour stops
Launch legislator education, constituent outreach, advocacy training and Capitol meeting preparation.
February 2027
HBCU, PWI and community tour
Campus and community locations to be confirmed
Center student voices, impacted families, civic education, testimony practice and coalition growth.
March 2027
Hearing and action month
Texas Capitol and final tour stops
Mobilize testimony, public education, legislative meetings and rapid community response around hearings.
April 2027
National Second Chance Month
Statewide campaign culmination
Hold second-chance employment, reentry, civic education and record-relief events. Release campaign progress and the next action plan.
12 campuses. One statewide mission.
Campus and community route
Every campus stop will invite students, residents, employers, faith leaders, elected officials, reentry partners and impacted families from the surrounding region.
01
September 28, 2026HBCU 1 of 9 · Confirmed launch
Texas Southern University
HoustonA major urban public HBCU and home of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law.
Communities served: Third Ward, South Union, Sunnyside, MacGregor and greater Houston
Program focus: Statewide launch, record-relief education, lived-experience testimony and coalition enrollment.
02
October 2026HBCU 2 of 9 · Planning window
Paul Quinn College
DallasA private HBCU recognized for its urban work-college model.
Communities served: Highland Hills, Oak Cliff, South Dallas, DeSoto and Lancaster
Program focus: Fair-chance employment, economic mobility, employer engagement and student civic leadership.
03
November 2026HBCU 3 of 9 · Planning window
Huston-Tillotson University
AustinA private liberal arts university and Austin’s oldest institution of higher education.
Communities served: East Austin, Colony Park, Montopolis, Del Valle and Travis County
Program focus: Bill-filing education, legislative readiness, youth leadership and community testimony.
04
November 2026HBCU 4 of 9 · Planning window
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie ViewTexas’ oldest HBCU and a public land-grant university founded in 1876.
Communities served: Prairie View, Hempstead, Waller, Brookshire and northwest Harris County
Program focus: Rural and metropolitan reentry barriers, civic participation, workforce access and community voice.
05
December 2026HBCU 5 of 9 · Planning window
Southwestern Christian College
TerrellA private Christian liberal arts college serving students from across Texas.
Communities served: Terrell, Forney, Kaufman, Mesquite and Kaufman County
Program focus: Faith and community partnerships, family stability, civic education and second-chance support.
06
January 2027HBCU 6 of 9 · Planning window
Jarvis Christian University
HawkinsA private, church-affiliated university in East Texas.
Communities served: Hawkins, Mineola, Big Sandy, Lindale, Tyler, Wood County and Smith County
Program focus: Rural access, reentry resources, legislative education and leadership development.
07
January 2027HBCU 7 of 9 · Planning window
Texas College
TylerA private liberal arts college founded by the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.
Communities served: North Tyler, East Tyler, Lindale, Whitehouse and Smith County
Program focus: Community organizing, workforce pathways, voter education and record-relief advocacy.
08
February 2027HBCU 8 of 9 · Planning window
Wiley University
MarshallA private liberal arts university known for its historic debate legacy.
Communities served: Marshall, Longview, Hallsville, Jefferson, Harrison County and Gregg County
Program focus: Public narrative, testimony preparation, student debate and policy education.
09
February 2027HBCU 9 of 9 · Planning window
St. Philip’s College
San AntonioA public community college with dual HBCU and Hispanic-Serving Institution designations.
Communities served: East Side, Denver Heights, Dignowity Hill, Wheatley Heights and Bexar County
Program focus: Cross-community civic participation, career pathways, reentry support and hearing preparation.
10
March 2027HSI partner stop · Planning window
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Rio Grande ValleyA public Hispanic-Serving Institution with campuses and teaching sites across the Rio Grande Valley.
Communities served: Edinburg, Brownsville, McAllen, Harlingen, Mission, Weslaco and surrounding colonias
Program focus: Bilingual civic education, border-region workforce access, community stories and legislative action.
11
March 2027PWI 1 of 2 · Campus to be confirmed
Texas PWI partner campus
Location to be confirmedTXFPF is seeking a Texas public or private university ready to host a regional community conversation.
Communities served: Community coverage will be selected with the host campus and local partners.
Program focus: Campus coalition growth, public education, ally engagement and legislative mobilization.
12
April 2027PWI 2 of 2 · Campus to be confirmed
National Second Chance Month host campus
Location to be confirmedThe final campus partner will help TXFPF bring the statewide tour into National Second Chance Month.
Communities served: Community coverage will be selected with the host campus and local partners.
Program focus: Second-chance employment, reentry connections, campaign progress and the next statewide action plan.
Bring the tour to your campus
TXFPF is confirming host campuses, venues, community partners and local speakers. The two PWI locations remain open. Colleges, employers, reentry organizations, civic groups and sponsors are invited to support a stop.
Host or support a tour stopMove the bill forward