AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The Texas House wants to stop most state agencies from asking job seekers about their criminal history on their initial application.
The move is intended to help ex-convicts get state jobs.
Democratic Rep. Eric Johnson’s measure passed Thursday and faces a final vote before heading to the Senate.
Some state agencies are prohibited from hiring anyone with a felony conviction, and Johnson says his bill wouldn’t change that.
But the bill would keep agencies from automatically filtering out those with criminal convictions. Questions about an applicant’s criminal past wouldn’t come up until they are interviewed or offered employment.
Johnson says the move would mirror a trend among some major companies like Koch Industries, Wal-Mart and about a dozen states.
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