TX HB2698

Expands criteria for appointing attorneys to indigent defendants seeking habeas corpus relief, changing the trigger from specific circumstances to any "potentially meritorious claim for relief"

Defines potentially meritorious claims to include: actual innocence, guilt of only a lesser offense, conviction under an unconstitutional law, or conviction in violation of state or federal constitutional rights

Requires appointed attorneys to investigate the claim in addition to representing the defendant in habeas corpus proceedings

Applies to any defendant in custody on or after September 1, 2025, regardless of when the underlying offense was committed

Effective date: September 1, 2025