Weapons charges could be cleared under Texas’ new permitless carry law
DALLAS - A new state law loosening requirements for gun ownership could help people clear their criminal records.
Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed a bill that allows people to carry a handgun without a permit or training.
The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office is checking to see if that will allow some people arrested for unlawfully carrying a weapon to have those charges removed during the DA’s yearly expunction expo.
That event is typically for people who have been arrested but not convicted of a crime.
DA John Creuzot said the new law could allow people found guilty of some weapons charges to get rid of those convictions.
"But the point is a conviction has never, ever been eligible for expunction period of any offense. Never. And now this particular statute does allow that. And my point is, I don’t think people understand that that’s embedded in that," he said.
The expunction expo is a free event that pairs people with volunteer attorneys to help them clear their criminal records. It has helped almost 1,000 people to date.
For more information or to apply online, visit https://www.dallascounty.org/government/district-clerk/expunction-expo/